INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Pericarpium Zanthoxyli
Common English: Sichuan Pepper
Sichuan Peppercorn
Zanthoxylum
Chinese Prickly-Ash Peel
Herbs that Warm the Interior and Expel Cold
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Acrid
Hot
(Extremely Hot)
Slightly Toxic
Kidney
Spleen
Stomach
(Lung)
2-7g
Tincture: 0.5-2ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Warms the Middle Jiao, disperses Cold, dispels Dampness, relieves diarrhea and alleviates pain

Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold with Cold and pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea

Kills parasites and alleviates abdominal pain

Abdominal pain due to roundworms

Moist dermal ulcers

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency with Heat signs.
  • Contraindicated for those with constitutional Fire or Heat in the Lungs or Stomach causing either coughing or Phlegm.
  • Contraindicated for those with Accumulation of Heat in the Large Intestine with hemafecia.
  • Use with caution during pregnancy.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Counteracts Flos Tussilaginis Farfarae Kuan Dong Hua.
  • Counteracts Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi.
  • Counteracts Rx. Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng.
  • Antagonizes Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata
Zhi Fu Zi

Rz. Zingiberis Recens
Sheng Jiang
Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen

Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu
Per. Citri Reticulatae
Chen Pi
Rx. Aucklandiae
Mu Xiang

Cold-Dampness in either the Middle or Lower Jiao

Strengthens the warming effect on the Spleen, for Spleen Yang Deficiency with Cold-Dampness leading to Cold pain in the epigastrium, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Kidney Yang Deficiency with Deficiency of Ming Men Fire allowing Cold-Damp to accumulate in the Lower Jiao leading to urinary frequency, cold sweats or spermatorrhea.

Excruciating epigastric and abdominal pain, a strong sensation of Cold in the epigastrium, nausea, and vomiting due to Middle Jiao Yang Deficiency with Ascendant Cold.

Cold-Damp induced diarrhea.

Poria
Fu Ling

Fr. Mume
Wu Mei
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis
Ku Shen
Fr. Kochiae
Di Fu Zi

Cold from Deficiency of the Lungs and Kidneys with lower back pain, icy cold feet and wheezing.

Abdominal pain and vomiting due to roundworms, especially in cases of Deficiency Cold.

As an external wash for pruritis due to eczema.

Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang
Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Maltosum
Yi Tang

Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata
Zhi Fu Zi

Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang

Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu
Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis
Hou Po

Coldness and pain in the chest with vomiting and inability to eat.

Diarrhea due to more Cold than Dampness.

Diarrhea due to more Dampness than Cold.

  1. This herb is considered the safest of the effective anthelmintics and relieves diarrhea associated with parasites.
  2. For Intestinal obstruction due to parasites, fry in cooking oil and ingest daily with meals.
  3. In folk medicine, this herb is widely used. It is reputed to be an aphrodisiac and a treatment for the Stomach, Lungs and Intestines. It is used externally to treat scabies.
  4. Dry-fried, this herb can be applied topically to the epigastric and abdominal regions to disperse Cold.
  5. It can also be applied topically for toothache.
  6. This herb is usually used with Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang.
  7. It also treats Wind-Damp Bi.
  8. It is applied as a wash for vaginal discharge and itch and as a compress applied to the perineal area for sore, swollen testicles due to Cold Qi entering the scrotum.
  9. The seed, Sm. Zanthoxyli Jiao Mu (pepper eyes) is bitter, cold and toxic and enters the Spleen and Bladder channels. It promotes water metabolism, reduces swellings and calms wheezing. It is used for edema with fullness and distention and coughing and wheezing due to congested fluids. The dosage is 1.5-6g.
  10. Fr. Piperis Hu Jiao is even hotter than Chuan Jiao. It is effective whenever the Fire is debilitated and Cold enters, Phlegm or food stagnates internally, there is diarrhea or cold dysenteric disorder, or Stomach Cold causes vomiting of water.
  11. Dry-fried Sichuan Pepper Chao Chuan Jiao is the standard preparation for internal use. It has enhanced analgesic and parasite-calming properties.
  12. Salt-fried Sichuan Pepper Yan Chao Chuan Jiao acts on the Lower Jiao to tonify the Yang of the Kidneys and Ming Men. It treats Lower Jiao Cold from Deficiency leading to spermatorrhea or clumping.