Plant
Prickly Ash is a small aromatic perennial tree or shrub, about 10 m (33 ft) tall and 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. The plant grows in upland woodlands, lowland woodlands, savannas, wooded ravines, sparsely wooded cliffs, shaded seepage edges, creek banks in wooded areas, scrublands, pastures, and fences. It prefers different types of soil, including soils containing loam, clay loam, and rocky material. The bark is gray to brown and fairly smooth, but on older shrubs, the bark may be shallowly furrowed and appear wrinkled. The twigs are dark brown, with 8 to 13 mm long spines on branches, twigs, and shoots; these spines are somewhat flattened and curved. When broken, the twigs give off a strong odor reminiscent of crushed lemon peel. The twigs are initially light green, turning reddish brown in autumn, and then brown. The buds are red and hairy, appearing above the old leaf scars.
Leaves
The leaves are alternate compound leaves, about 1 to 30 cm long, growing along twigs and shoots; they are odd-pinnate with 5-11 leaflets. Individual leaflets are 1½-3¼ inches long and ½-1½ inches wide; they are lanceolate-oblong to ovate-oblong with smooth to crenate (finely crenulated) margins. The upper surface of mature leaflets is medium green, minutely glandular and glabrous, while the lower surface is light green with short hairs to nearly glabrous; in the latter case, the fine hairs are confined to the main veins. Newly grown leaflets are hairier than mature leaflets. Lateral leaflets are sessile or nearly sessile, wMedicinal parts:
Use ripe peel and seed as medicine. Chinese medicine name: Ripe peel: Sichuan pepper. Seed: Capsicales.hile terminal leaflets have slender petioles (basal petioles) less than ½ inch in length. The light green petioles (basal petioles) and rachis of the compound leaves are hairy on young leaves but become more glabrous with age; their undersides have scattered small spines. The dark green, glossy leaves are dotted with translucent glands.
Flowers
The flowers are arranged in small axillary clusters (cymes) on branches from the previous year. Individual male flowers are slightly less than ¼ inch in diameter and consist of 4-5 erect petals and 4-5 stamens; there is no calyx. The petals of male flowers are yellow-green to orange and oblong in shape. Individual female flowers are about ¼ inch in diameter and consist of 4-5 erect petals and 2-5 separate pistils; there is no calyx. The petals of female flowers are also yellow-green to orange and oblong in shape. The ovary of the pistil is bright green and ovate; its elongated styles tend to converge at the tip. Flowering is usually May-June.
Fruit
The female flowers produce clusters of berry-like follicles about 0.5 to 0.6 cm in diameter, which are ovoid and pitted (follicles) and ripen in late summer. As the follicles ripen, they change from green to red to brown, eventually splitting to reveal shiny black seeds with an oily surface. Each follicle contains 1-2 seeds. The crushed leaves and fruit have a strong aroma, somewhat like the scent of lemon peel. The fruit is probably the best ornamental feature. All parts of the plant (leaves, flowers, fruit, bark, and roots) are aromatic. Native Americans used the bark and roots to make a variety of medicinal decoctions for fever, cough, gonorrhea, rheumatism, and wounds. The wood has no commercial value, but the bark oil extract has been used in traditional and alternative medicine and has been studied for its antifungal and cytotoxic properties.
Medicinal parts:
Use ripe peel and seed as medicine. Chinese medicine name: Ripe peel: Sichuan pepper. Seed: Capsicales.
Harvesting and processing:
Ripe peel: Harvest ripe fruit in autumn, dry, remove seeds and impurities. Seeds: Pick the fruit when it is ripe in September-October, dry it, and remove the seeds when the fruit cracks and the peel separates from the seeds.
Main ingredients:
Containing volatile oil, oil containing limonene (limonene) and so on.
Pharmacological action:
Beneficial digestive system, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, local anesthesia, affect thrombosis and coagulation system, bacteriostasis and scabies killing.
Nutritional analysis:
1. Peppercorns smell fragrant, can remove all kinds of meat odor, change the taste, can promote saliva secretion, increase appetite;
2. Medical research has found that peppercorns can dilate blood vessels, which can lower blood pressure;
3. Taking Sichuan pepper water can repel parasites.
The Function of Prickly Ash Extract
1. Improves Blood Circulation
One of the basic therapeutic uses of pepper bark is to improve blood circulation. It is an herb that benefits the heart and circulatory system by increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body while cleansing it at the same time. With stronger blood flow, it can improve healing that requires nutrients and oxygen. By removing toxins and warmth, it can help treat rheumatism and joint pain. It can also be used to treat varicose veins.
2. Overall Cleanser
The overall effect of this herb is to stimulate tissues, promote natural detoxification, warm and replenish the body's fluids and energy throughout the body system to encourage the body to return to balance and health. Digestive issues from bloating to stomach aches are relieved. Skin conditions from acne to eczema can be improved by eliminating toxins. Using pepper bark can also benefit the liver.
3. Reduces Fever
Pepper bark is considered a diaphoretic, which can increase perspiration and reduce intermittent fever. This action also helps to remove toxins from the body through the skin during sweating.
Contact Now
