Home › Glossary › Ma-Kwaen

Ma-Kwaen

Q: Is Ma-Kwaen natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of berries of Zanthoxylum limonella. Oil rich in limonene and citrus terpenes. Small-scale production in northern Thailand..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / spicy · citrus · aromatic

Ma-Kwaen

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	spicy · citrus · aromatic
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Zanthoxylum limonella
Appearance	Colorless to pale green liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand
Pyramid	Heart

Thai Sichuan pepper. Citrus-tinged, numbing, electric -- the tingle of Zanthoxylum on your tongue translated to scent.

Scent
Terroir & Origins
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Bright citrus-lime with a spicy electric edge. The limonene content gives an immediate lime-like freshness, but the background is warmer and more complex than conventional lime oil. A faint peppery-woody undertone distinguishes it from simple citrus.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Bright lime-citrus flash, electric freshness

After a few hours

Warm spicy-woody undertone, peppery edge

After a few days

Fading citrus trace, faint pepper residue

Terroir & Transformation

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Ma-kwaen (Zanthoxylum limonella) is a Thai species of prickly ash tree whose berries produce a citrusy, numbing spice used in northern Thai cuisine, particularly in the Lanna region. The berries contain hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, the compound responsible for the characteristic tingling-numbing sensation shared with Sichuan pepper (Z. bungeanum).

The essential oil, steam-distilled from the berries, is rich in limonene and other citrus terpenes, giving it a bright, lemon-lime character that distinguishes it from other Zanthoxylum species. The numbing compound (sanshool) does not distill readily, so the oil captures the citrus but not the tingle.

In perfumery, ma-kwaen provides an unusual citrus-spice note that is distinctly different from conventional citrus oils. Its Southeast Asian origin gives it cultural specificity for compositions evoking Thai cuisine and northern Thai landscapes.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

—

Related: 4 Methylanisole · Almaciga · Arnica · Assam Tea · Calycanthus · Camphor · Canvas · Carvone

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The numbing sensation from Zanthoxylum berries is not a taste but a tactile hallucination -- sanshool activates the same nerve fibers that detect vibration, creating a buzzing sensation at approximately 50 Hz on the tongue.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of berries of Zanthoxylum limonella. Oil rich in limonene and citrus terpenes. Small-scale production in northern Thailand.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture (no single formula)
CAS Number	N/A - natural spice
Botanical Name	Zanthoxylum limonella
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Chinese prickly ash, Sichuan pepper
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	6–12 hours
Appearance	Colorless to pale green liquid

In Perfumery

Ma-kwaen functions as a top note in citrus-spice, Thai-inspired, and exotic compositions. Provides bright lime-like freshness with a spicy twist. Works alongside lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, and galangal in Southeast Asian-themed accords.