Zanthoxylum spp.: A new potential sources of essential oil for the perfumery and pharmaceutical industries in Thailand

The Zanthoxylum genus (Family: Rutaceae) comprises approx. 250 plant species. These aromatic crops can be found in the tropical and temperate regions of Thailand. In Thailand, most of the Zanthoxylum species are known not only for spices, but also in traditional remedies. This review aims to summarise the recent literatures relating the importance of the four significant species found in northern Thailand namely Ma-maad (Z. acanthopodium), Hua-jiao (Z. armatum), Ma-kwuang (Z. rhetsa) and Makhwaen (Z. myriacanthum) for their potential use as aromatic ingredients. We discussed the morphological differences among the species and their relevant ethnobotanical data focused especially from the economically importance species. Z. myriacanthum has recently gained much attention for its unique aromatic profiles with high potential in the perfumery industry. The major chemical compositions in these species are the monoterpenes of limonene and linalool, which is responsible for the subtle lemony aroma. The knowledge on essential oil compositions of four different species of Zanthoxylum in this study, will lead to further in-depth research towards the potential use of these plant species for commercial utilisation and high added-value product development of the Thai communities.