Evidence supporting the use of: Prickly Ash (Unspecified)
For the body system: Lymphatics

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Table of Contents

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Prickly Ash (typically referring to species such as Zanthoxylum americanum or Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) has a longstanding history of use in traditional herbal medicine, particularly in North America. Indigenous peoples and later, early American herbalists, employed Prickly Ash as a remedy to “stimulate” the body and support the lymphatic and circulatory systems. It was often described as an “alterative”—a term for herbs believed to gradually restore proper function to the body and promote the elimination of metabolic waste, which was associated with lymphatic health in traditional frameworks.

Herbalists used the bark and berries of Prickly Ash for conditions such as swollen glands, sluggish lymphatic flow, and to assist with convalescence from illness. However, there is a lack of modern scientific research directly validating these uses. The traditional rationale for its lymphatic support is based on observed effects such as increased warmth and circulation, which were historically interpreted as enhancing lymphatic drainage and immune function.

In summary, while Prickly Ash is widely cited in traditional herbal texts and folk medicine for supporting the lymphatic system, there is minimal to no modern clinical evidence substantiating these claims. Its use remains primarily justified by traditional use rather than scientific validation.

More about Prickly Ash (Unspecified)
More about Lymphatics

Products containing Prickly Ash (Unspecified)

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.