Prickly ash (zanthoxylum americanum)
Synopsis of prickly ash
Prickly ash refers to the bark and berries of Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash) and Zanthoxylum clava-herculis (southern prickly ash), both native to North America. Sometimes called the “toothache tree,” prickly ash is a member of the Rutaceae family (citrus family) and is well-known in traditional herbal medicine for its stimulating, warming, and circulatory properties. The bark is most commonly used, though leaves and berries also contain medicinal compounds.
Prickly ash contains alkaloids (notably berberine-like compounds), essential oils, flavonoids, and lignans, which contribute to its antimicrobial, circulatory stimulant, analgesic, and carminative actions. It acts as a nervine stimulant, meaning it supports nerve function, while also stimulating blood flow to the extremities, digestive system, and skin. It is often used in herbal formulas to treat cold hands and feet, sluggish digestion, fatigue, joint stiffness, and poor lymphatic flow.
Herbalists frequently include prickly ash in protocols for rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation, numbness, or congestion in the lymphatic and circulatory systems. It also serves as a synergist herb, enhancing the delivery and potency of other herbs in complex formulas.
Historical Use in Medicine:
Prickly ash has a rich tradition in Native American medicine, where it was used for toothaches, mouth pain, fevers, sore throats, and digestive complaints. The Cheyenne, Cherokee, and other tribes prepared teas or chewed the bark for oral analgesia and to stimulate salivation and appetite. Its numbing and tingling effects led to the nickname “toothache tree,” as it was frequently chewed to relieve dental pain.
European settlers adopted prickly ash into American Eclectic medicine in the 19th century. Eclectic physicians considered it a powerful alterative and stimulant, using it to purify the blood, stimulate peripheral circulation, and treat conditions like arthritis, ulcers, gangrene, and paralysis. It was also used to revive patients from fainting spells or collapse due to its energizing and circulatory effects.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a related species—Zanthoxylum bungeanum—is known as Hua Jiao and is widely used for its warming, qi-moving, and antimicrobial actions. It is often used in digestive formulas and is also the source of the numbing, spicy flavor of Sichuan pepper.
Prickly ash is used for these health conditions
Abdominal Pain (Traditional)
Acid Indigestion (Traditional)
Appetite (deficient) (Traditional)
Backache (Traditional)
Bronchitis (Traditional)
Circulation (poor) (Traditional)
Cough (general) (Traditional)
Cough (spastic) (Traditional)
Diarrhea (Traditional)
Digestion (poor) (Traditional)
Dyspepsia (Traditional)
Edema (Traditional)
Gas and Bloating (Traditional)
Gastritis (Traditional)
Indigestion (Traditional)
Infection (Traditional)
Inflammation (Traditional)
Lymph Nodes or Glands (swollen) (Traditional)
Menstrual Irregularity (Traditional)
Nausea and Vomiting (Traditional)
Pain (general remedies for) (Traditional)
Rashes and Hives (Traditional)
Ulcers (Traditional)
Wounds and Sores (Traditional)
prickly ash is used to support these body systems
Arteries (Traditional)
Blood (Traditional)
Bronchials (Traditional)
Capillaries (Traditional)
Circulatory System (Traditional)
Digestive System (Traditional)
Gastrointestinal Tract (Traditional)
Gums (Traditional)
Heart (Traditional)
Intestinal System (Traditional)
Joints (Traditional)
Nerves (Traditional)
Skin (Traditional)
Stomach (Traditional)
Urinary System (Traditional)
Veins (Traditional)
