Southern Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis), also known as Hercules’ Club or Toothache Tree, is native to the southeastern United States.
Indigenous peoples, such as the Cherokee, used the bark and berries to treat toothaches, hence its common name, with effects that can be credited to the plant’s alkaloids that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
European settlers adopted its use for dental pain and other ailments, such as rheumatism and digestive issues. The tree’s bark was chewed or made into a poultice for topical applications.
Today, Southern Prickly Ash is still valued in herbal medicine for its ability to relieve pain, stimulate circulation, and support digestive health.
