English Name

Prickly ash peel

Latin Name

Fructus Zanthoxyli 

Other Name

Szechuan pepper

SPEC

Whole, Powder

Package Style

PP+PE, CTN

Product Info

Dried Szechuan pepper (or Prickly ash peel) is the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a number of species in the genus Zanthoxylum (most commonly Z. piperitum, Z. simulans, and Z. schinifolium), widely grown and consumed in Asia as a spice. Despite the name, it is not related to black pepper or to chili peppers. It is widely used in the cuisine of Sichuan, China, from which it takes its name, as well as Tibetan, Bhutanese, Nepalese, Japanese and Konkani and Batak Toba cuisines, among others.

Dried Szechuan pepper can be used for:

1. To treat cold of insufficiency type in the middle-jiao, cold and pain in the stomach and abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea and other syndromes, the herb is often used in combination with dangshen, dried ginger and other herbs for warming the middle-jiao, dispersing cold, strengthening the spleen and arresting diarrhea, such as Dajianzhong Decoction.

2. To treat abdominal pain due to roundworm, vomiting or vomiting with roundworm, the herb is often used in combination with black plum, coptis root, asarum herb and other herbs for expelling roundworm and relieving colic caused by the worm.

In addition, the herb can also be used to treat diarrhea due to cold and dampness, itching due to eczema, women's pruritus valvae and other syndromes.