Hydroxy-alpha-sanshool is a molecule found in plants from the genus Zanthoxylum. It is believed to be responsible for the numbing and tingling sensation caused by eating food cooked with Sichuan pepper and uzazi. The chemical structure of hydroxy-alpha sanshool is similar to that of capsaicin, but the mechanism of action by which it induces nerve sensations is not yet settled.
The term sanshool in the compound's name is derived from the Japanese term for the Japanese pepper, sanshō, to which was appended the suffix -ol, indicating an alcohol.