(Natural News) Big things do come in small packages, and unfortunately, this also applies to health problems. Bacteria may be the tiniest living organisms, but they can cause some of the worst infections on the planet. A good example of a potentially problematic infection is the golden staph infection.

Caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, this infection causes skin abscesses, boils, ear infections, and folliculitis, or inflamed hair follicles. Staph infections may also cause serious conditions like pneumonia, osteomyelitis, and endocarditis. Even prescribed antibiotics may worsen staph infection. That is why many people are now turning to natural, organic cures to address this health problem.

Traditional healers have used herbal medicine since ancient times to treat infections, and the scientific community has been extensively studying the mechanisms behind these potent natural remedies. One study, which appeared in the Journal of Essential Oil Research, highlighted the antibacterial activity of Indian wormwood (Artemisia nilagirica) essential oil against nine pathogenic strains, including S. aureus.

Researchers from India analyzed the composition of A. nilagirica essential oil using gas chromatography. Their results showed a total of 41 constituents that accounted for 95.9 percent of the essential oil's total composition:

Monoterpenoids (76.6 percent) represented by artemisia ketone (62.6 percent)

Artemisia alcohol (3.7 percent)

Perillene (3.1 percent)

Bornyl acetate (1.4 percent)

Sesquiterpenoids (16.1 percent) represented by beta-caryophyllene (3.5 percent)

Alpha-muurolol (3.5 percent)

Delta-cadinene (2.1 percent)

Germacrene D (1.8 percent)