(Prickly Ash.)

Origin. - The dried bark of Xanthoxylum Americanum Miller or of Fagara Clava-Herculis (L.) Small. Both species are native to North America, the first being shrubby and attaining a height of 10 or 12 feet (3-3.6 M.), while the second species is a small tree sometimes 30 or 40 feet (9-12 M.) high.

Description and Properties. - Xanthoxylum Americanum (Northern Prickly Ash) occurs in curved or quilled fragments about fa inch (I Mm.) thick; outer surface brownish gray, with whitish patches and minute black dots, slightly furrowed, with some brown, glossy, straight, two-edged spines, linear at the base and about 1/4 inch (6 Mm.) long; inner surface whitish, smooth; fracture short, non-fibrous, green in the outer, and yellowish in the inner, layer; inodorous; taste bitterish, very pungent. Fagara Clava-Herculis (Southern Prickly Ash) resembles the preceding, but is about 1/12 inch (2 Mm.) thick, and is marked by many conical, corky projections, sometimes 4/5 inch (2 Cm.) high, and by stout, brown spines rising from a corky base.

Xanthoxylum should not be confounded with the bark of Aralia spinosa L., which is nearly smooth externally, and beset with slender prickles in transverse rows.

Prickly ash contains an acrid green oil, a colorless, crystalline resin, a bitter principle, sugar, ash, and tannic acid.

Dose. - 10-30 grains (0.6-2.0 Gm.) [30 grains (2 Gm.), U. S. P.].

Official Preparation

Fluidextractum Xanthoxyli - Fluidextracti Xanthoxyli - Fluidextract of Xanthoxylum. - Dose, 10-30 minims (0.6-2.0 Cc.) [30 minims (2 Cc), U. S. P.].

Physiological Action. - The action of xanthoxylum is quite similar to that of mezereum, though it is more of a stomachic tonic, sialagogue, diuretic, and diaphoretic, and not so much of a local irritant. It increases the heart's action and raises arterial tension.

Therapeutics. - It is used locally as a masticatory for the same purpose as mezereum, and the decoction has been highly recommended as a gargle in chronic pharyngitis. Internally it has no useful applications.