Used as an infusion, decoction, extract, tincture, liniment and poultice.

Prickly Ash may be used as a tea or decoction for rheumatism and skin diseases. This herb has the reputation of being helpful for problems of circulation, such as chilblains, cramp in the leg, varicose veins and varicose ulcers.

Externally it is helpful as a stimulating liniment for rheumatism and fibrositis.

The bark and berries are chemically complex, containing the alkaloids magnoflorine, fagarine, nitidine, laurifoline, chelerythrine, candicine and tambetarine; and the coumarins zanthoxyletin, xanthyletin and alloxanthyletin, as well as resins and tannins.

Herculin, an alkamide in the plant, acts like a topical anesthetic. In a recent Chinese hospital trial, Prickly Ash berries, which are chemically similar to the bark, helped with intestinal pain from various causes, including indigestion, ulcers and gallbladder disease.

Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal': 'It acts as a stimulant - resembling guaiacum resin and mezereon bark in its remedial action and is greatly recommended in the United States for chronic rheumatism, typhoid and skin diseases and impurity of the blood, administered either in the form of fluid extract or in doses of 10 grains to ½ drachm in the powdered form, three times daily.'

'On account of the energetic stimulant properties of the bark, it produces when swallowed a sense of heat in the stomach, with more or less general arterial excitement and tendency to perspiration and is a useful tonic in debilitated conditions of the stomach and digestive organs, and is used in colic, cramp and colera, in fever, ague, lethargy, for cold hands and feet and complaints arising from a bad circulation.'

'A decoction made by boiling an ounce in 3 pints of water down to a quarter may be given in the quantity of a pint, in divided doses, during the twenty-four hours. As a counter-irritant, the decoction may be applied on compresses. It has also been used as an emmenagogue.'

'The powdered bark forms an excellent application to indolent ulcers and old wounds for cleansing, stimulating, drying up and healing the wounds. The pulverized bark is also used for paralytic affections and nervous headaches and as a topical irritant the bark, either in powdered form, or chewed, has been a very popular remedy for toothache in America, hence the origin of a common name of the tree in the States: Toothache Tree.'

'The berries are considered even more active than the bark, being carminative and antispasmodic, and are used as an aperient and for dyspepsia and indigestion; a fluid extract of the berries being given, in doses of 10 to 30 drops.'

'Xanthoxylin. Dose, 1 to 2 grains.'

'Both berries and bark are used to make a good bitter.'

King's 1898 Dispensatory: 'Physiologically, prickly ash acts upon the secretions, the nervous and circulator systems. The bark, when chewed, imparts an aromatic, sweetish taste, followed by bitterness and persistent acridity. Its sialagogue properties are remarkable, inducing a copious flow of saliva, together with a great quantity of mucus from the buccal glands. This is brought about both by its local and systemic action.'

'In the stomach it creates a sense of warmth, and the flow of both gastric and intestinal juices is augmented. There is increased biliary and pancreatic activity. Under its action the kidneys become more active, and an increased urinary product results. Cardiac action is increased, the pulse becomes slightly accelerated, and the integumentary glands give out an abundant secretion.'

'Therapeutically, the bark is sialagogue, alterative, diaphoretic, and especially stimulant to the mucous surfaces. It is also emmenagogue and carminative, and the berries are said to possess antiseptic properties. To increase its diaphoretic power, it should be administered with plenty of hot water, at the same time subjecting the patient to a warm foot-bath.'

'The properties of the bark... are stimulant, tonic, alterative, and sialagogue; of the berries, stimulant, carminative, and antispasmodic, acting especially on mucous tissues.'

'Prickly ash has been deservedly valued in domestic practice as a remedy for chronic rheumatism, and was once quite popular as a masticatory for the relief of toothache. It undoubtedly has some value in rheumatic complaints, and may be combined with phytolacca when the indications for that drug are present. Its value in chronic rheumatism is very likely due to its eliminative power. It is best adapted to debilitated patients, and to cases of transient and fugitive forms of rheumatism, particularly lumbago, torticollis, myalgia, and muscular rheumatism.'

'Xanthoxylum is serviceable in many disorders of the mouth and throat, as well as of the entire alimentary tract.... It is a remedy of value in pharyngitis, especially the chronic variety, the mucous surfaces presenting a glazed, shining, dry condition, with thin, adherent scales of dried mucus. In both pharyngitis and post-nasal catarrh a decoction locally, and specific xanthoxylum (bark) internally, will be found to aid a cure in those cases having dryness of mucous membranes as a distinctive feature.'

'Prickly ash is unmistakably an admirable gastro-intestinal tonic. It will find a place in the treatment of atonic dyspepsia and gastric catarrh. Many chronic affections of the mucous tissues are benefited by it, the cases being those of enfeeblement and relaxation, with hypersecretion. Constipation due to deficient intestinal secretion has been overcome by its use alone. It is more especially indicated when accompanied by a flatulent distension of the abdomen. As an agent for flatulence, the preparation from the berries will give the best results. Lack of secretion in any part of the intestinal tract calls for a preparation of prickly ash bark. Both the bark and the berries may be required in some instances.'

'It is useful to restore the bowels to their normal state after severe attacks of dysentery, and has been of particular service as a remedy for epidemic dysentery.'

'Both the bark and berries give good results in neuralgic dysmenorrhoea with marked pain and hypersensitiveness. Xanthoxylum is a valuable nerve stimulant, and may be administered for some length of time without ill effects.'

'The dose of specific xanthoxylum (berries) is from 5 to 30 drops; of specific xanthoxylum (bark), from 2 to 20 drops; of the powder, from 10 to 30 grains, 3 times a day. The oil of xanthoxylum may be used for the same purpose as the berries, in doses of from 2 to 10 drops, in mucilage, or on sugar; and its tincture, made according to the formula below (see Preparation), may be administered in the same doses as the tincture of the berries.'

American Materia Medica, 1919 (Ellingwood): 'It is a remedy for catarrhal gastritis. In general atonic conditions of the digestive apparatus, combined with hydrastis canadensis, it has no superior. It has a powerfully tonic influence upon the stomach and digestion, and improves the general nutritive functions of the system. Whitford gives it as a tonic in all conditions of weakness, depending upon malnutrition, accompanied with chronic dyspepsia, especially if catarrhal gastritis be present. The following is his method of combining the remedy:

Rx—Powdered hydrastis, two drams; precipitated carbonate of iron, one dram; tincture of zanthoxylum, one-half ounce; simple elixir, sufficient quantity to make four ounces. Take a teaspoonful after meals and at bedtime. The writer has used a similar combination, the active constituents in a capsule, every three -hours with most excellent results. This formula is especially applicable as a restorative after debilitating fevers and after prostrating diarrheas, or after dysentery. It works promptly and satisfactorily with children. The alkaloid hydrastine may be substituted for the powdered hydrastis, where prescribed in capsules.'

'This agent, with the older practitioners, was considered a most valuable remedy in rheumatism. Its stimulating diaphoretic action, with its restorative and tonic influence, placed it high in the estimation of many as a remedy in this condition. It is valuable in combination with such remedies as colchicum and cimicifuga.'

'As an alterative it had a wide use at one time. It was usually combined with stillingia, yellow dock or phytolacca, and often the iodide or acetate of potassium was added. It serves an excellent purpose in scrofula, and in some cases of chronic skin disorder, from disordered blood.'