Evidence supporting the use of: Prickly Ash Bark
For the health condition: Belching

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Prickly Ash Bark (Zanthoxylum americanum) has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine systems, particularly in North America. Traditional herbalists and Eclectic physicians in the 19th and early 20th centuries employed prickly ash bark as a “stimulating tonic” for the digestive tract. It was recommended for conditions characterized by sluggish digestion, including indigestion, flatulence, and belching. The bark was believed to stimulate saliva and gastric juice secretion, supporting improved digestion and relieving associated symptoms such as belching and bloating. These uses are well-documented in herbal materia medica and Eclectic medical literature, such as King’s American Dispensatory and Felter & Lloyd’s works. However, there is very limited modern scientific research to validate these traditional uses. No clinical trials or laboratory studies specifically support its efficacy for belching or related digestive complaints. Most evidence remains anecdotal or based on traditional practice. The mechanism proposed by traditional practitioners—a general stimulation of digestive secretions—remains plausible but unconfirmed by rigorous scientific study. Thus, while the use of prickly ash bark for belching is historically rooted and well-documented within traditional medicine, its evidence base is limited, and it should be considered primarily traditional rather than scientifically validated.

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