Abstract: Unsaturated alkylamides, a class of important pungent and tingling compound present in prickly ash, are mainly composed of α-, β-, γ- and δ-sanshool and their derivatives. These compounds stimulate sensory neurons by activating transient receptor potential (TRP) V1 and TRPA1 or inhibiting two-pore potassium ion channels. The strength of numb taste is affected by the structure of pungent and tingling compounds, which activate different receptors to produce different numb taste intensities due to their different structures. Currently, there are two commonly used methods to prepare pungent substances: conventional extraction by column chromatography and preparative chromatography, and chemical synthesis by appropriate chemical reactions. In this paper, the major types of pungent and tingling compounds in prickly ash are summarized and the current knowledge about the mechanism of the perception of these compounds and the methods for their preparation are reviewed. We hope that this review will provide useful information for the systematic and intensive study of numb-taste substances.

Key words: pungent compounds, unsaturated alkylamide, mechanism of perception, preparation methods