- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Woods and thickets of eastern and central North America. Zanthoxylum americanum
North America · Herb · № 168
Zanthoxylum americanum
Herb · North America
Northern prickly ash
Zanthoxylum americanum
Bark and berries give a tingling, numbing feeling in the mouth; they were traditionally used for toothache, poor circulation and rheumatism. Clinical research is lacking.
Safety notes
Avoid in pregnancy or with stomach ulcers. May interact with blood thinners. Persistent toothache needs a dentist.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: Seek advice in pregnancy.
Preparation
The bark or berries as decoction or tincture, or chewed. No dosage is given here.
Use in traditions
Indigenous peoples chewed the bark for toothache; its nickname is toothache tree. In the 19th century Eclectic physicians used it for circulation problems. Ody notes it is related to Sichuan pepper.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Promotes circulation, induces sweating, carminative, tonic.
Preparation and amount
Bark.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine
Attributed effects
For toothache; the bark was said to make a rotten tooth crumble.
Preparation and amount
Put a piece of bark in or against an aching tooth.
Caution: Seek advice in pregnancy.