Description

Zanthoxylum alatum, the Himalayan prickly ash or toothache tree, is a small to medium, thorny deciduous tree of the family Rutaceae, native to the temperate Himalayan foothills from Afghanistan through India (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir) and Nepal to Bhutan at elevations between 1,000 and 2,500 metres. The bark, seeds, and fruits contain hydroxy-α-sanshool and related alkylamide compounds that produce a characteristic tingling, numbing sensation on the tongue — hence the common name ‘toothache tree,’ as the bark was traditionally applied to aching teeth for local anaesthetic effect. Known in Ayurveda as Tejovati or Tejaphal and documented in the Charaka Samhita for dental and digestive preparations, the bark and fruits are also incorporated in Himalayan folk medicine for fever and anti-inflammatory applications. Used as a spice in Nepali and Sichuan cuisines.