Herbs - Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, Zanthoxylum americanum ).

What Is It?

Also known as toothache tree, it is native to Canada and America. northern prickly ash is Z. americanum and southern prickly ash is Z. clava-herculis. In both cases the bark is used in herbal medicine and berries are also of some use. Another species growing in Asia is called Chinese prickly ash, Z. bungeanum.

Action

The bark contains alkaloids, in particular chlerythrine, which is antimicrobial. It also consists of the cinnamamide - herclavin, and some volatile oils, tannins and resins. Northern prickly ash contains coumarins, and southern prickly ash contains the lignan, asarinin and the amides, herculin and neoherculin, which are thought to be anaesthetic in action. The herb is anti-rheumatic, analgesic, circulatory, and digestive stimulant, diaphoretic (induces swelling), carminative (wind relieving), antipyretic (reduces fever) and antidiarrhoeal. Berries are richer in the volatile oil.

Uses

Historically it has been used to treat a number of conditions including:

• Arthritis
• Chilblains
• Diarrhoea
• Fevers
• Indigestion
• Intermittent claudication
• Intestinal parasites (Chinese prickly ash)
• Poor circulation
• Poor digestion and saliva stimulation
• Raynaud’s disease
• Rheumatic conditions
• Sore throats
• Toothache
• Varicose veins

Other information

The berries or powdered bark can be used to make a herbal tea, although the bark is often found in licensed herbal products aimed at treating arthritis and rheumatism. A qualified herbalist can advise on other preparations.

Cautions

• The safety of prickly ash during pregnancy and lactation has been studied (British Herbal Compendium Vol 1) and it should be avoided.



• It has been suggested that it may aggravate certain digestive disorders due to its stimulating effects, these include stomach and duodenal ulcers, ulcerative colitis and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.



• At the time of writing there are no other well -known side effects, drug interactions or contra-indications.

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