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Aims: To investigate the in vitro antifungal activity of the components of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil.

Methods and Results: Activity was investigated by broth microdilution and macrodilution, and time kill methods. Components showing the most activity, with minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum fungicidal concentrations of ≤0·25%, were terpinen‐4‐ol, α‐terpineol, linalool, α‐pinene and β‐pinene, followed by 1,8‐cineole. The remaining components showed slightly less activity and had values ranging from 0·5 to 2%, with the exception of β‐myrcene which showed no detectable activity. Susceptibility data generated for several of the least water‐soluble components were two or more dilutions lower by macrodilution, compared with microdilution.

Conclusions: All tea tree oil components, except β‐myrcene, had antifungal activity. The lack of activity reported for …