Prickly ash's therapeutic uses
Prickly ash, a tree with historical significance in Native American medicine, has been used for various therapeutic purposes. Traditionally, the bark was utilized to alleviate ailments such as intestinal cramps, dry mouth, muscle and joint pain, and toothache, while the berries were thought to address circulatory issues like intermittent claudication and Raynaud's syndrome. Preparations typically include tea made from the bark, which is boiled in water, or tinctures, and in some instances, the bark is chewed for dental pain.
Recent studies have highlighted potential medicinal properties of prickly ash, such as antifungal activity from furanocoumarins and antibacterial effects from chelerythrine against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Its anti-inflammatory qualities are also noted, which may assist in treating conditions like osteoarthritis. Additionally, prickly ash is believed to aid digestive disorders and show promise in addressing malaria and other respiratory issues. Despite these potential benefits, modern scientific research on its efficacy and safety is lacking, with no formal studies conducted on humans. There are also concerns about its safety due to the presence of potentially toxic alkaloids, which could pose risks for certain populations, including children and pregnant women. Overall, while prickly ash has a rich history of therapeutic use, further research is necessary to validate its medicinal claims and ensure safe usage.
Prickly ash's therapeutic uses
Definition: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
Principal proposed uses: None
Other proposed uses: Dry mouth, intermittent claudication, osteoarthritis, Raynaud’s syndrome, toothache
Overview
The prickly ash tree has a long history of use in Native American medicine. The bark was used to treat intestinal cramps, dry mouth, muscle and joint pain, toothache, nervous disorders, arthritis, and leg ulcers. The berries were used for circulatory problems such as intermittent claudication and Raynaud’s syndrome.
Therapeutic Dosages
Prickly ash is often taken in the form of tea, made by boiling five to ten grams (g) of the bark in a cup of water for ten to fifteen minutes. For toothache, the pieces of the bark may be chewed. Tinctures are also available.
Therapeutic Uses
There are no documented medical uses of prickly ash bark. In test-tube studies, substances called furanocoumarins in prickly ash have shown antifungal properties. Another prickly ash constituent, chelerythrine, has shown activity against antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria. While these findings show promise in the efficacy of prickly ash to treat multiple infections, it is a long way from studies like these to actual evidence of efficacy. Prickly ash also showed promise in its abundance of alkaloids and flavonoids, as well as providing analgesic effects for inflammation-related pain. These anti-inflammatory properties could aid in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Prickly ask is believed to help digestive disorders like gastritis and diarrhea. Promise has been shown in prickly ash's ability to treat malaria, sleeping sickness, coughs, colds, and wounds. Only double-blind, placebo-controlled studies can show that treatment actually works, and none have been performed on prickly ash. Clinical study of prickly ash on humans is severely lacking.
Safety Issues
Prickly ash has not undergone any modern scientific safety evaluation. It contains potentially toxic alkaloids; whether these lead to any harmful effects remains unknown. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established. Patients who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, and Crohn’s disease should avoid prickly ash.
Bibliography
Bafi-Yeboa, N. F., et al. “Antifungal Constituents of Northern Prickly Ash, Zanthoxylumamericanum mill.” Phytomedicine 12 (2005): 370-377.
“Common Prickly Ash.” Missouri Department of Conservation, mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/common-prickly-ash. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.
Gibbons, S., et al. “Activity of Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Extracts Against Multi-drug Resistant Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (mdr-MRSA).” Phytotherapy Research 17 (2003): 274-275.
Kubala, Jillian. “Prickly Ash: Benefits, Dosage, and Side Effects.” Healthline, 5 Dec. 2019, www.healthline.com/nutrition/prickly-ash. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.