Illicium, Pimpinella and Foeniculum 1st Edition
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Contents
Preface to the Series
Foreword
Contributors
Chapter 1
General Introduction to Pimpinella and Illicium
Anthony C. Dweck
Chapter 2
Plant Sources of the Genus Illicium
Richard M.K. Saunders
Chapter 3
Plant Sources of the Genus Pimpinella
María Reyes González-Tejero
Chapter 4
Chemical Constituents of the Genus Illicium
Yoshiyasu Fukuyama and Jian-mei Huang
Chapter 5
Chemical Constituents of the Genus Pimpinella
Jürgen Reichling and Enza Maria Galati
Chapter 6
Cultivation and Plant Raw Material of the Genus Illicium
Chun-shu Yang and Sheng-lin Li
Chapter 7
Cultivation and Plant Raw Material of the Genus Pimpinella
Jürgen Reichling and Ulrich Bomme
Chapter 8
Therapeutic and Pharmacological Properties of Illicium
Emi Okuyama
Chapter 9
Therapeutic and Pharmacologic Properties of the Genus Pimpinella
Anna De Pasquale
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Chapter 10
Monographs and Formulations of the Genera Pimpinella, Illicium, and Foeniculum
María Dolores Contreras and Juan Carlos Orte
Chapter 11
Economic Importance and Market Trends of the Genera Pimpinella, Illicium,
and Foeniculum
Antonio Rapisarda
Chapter 12
The Genus Foeniculum
Amit Krishna De
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Preface to the Series
There is increasing interest in industry, academia, and the health sciences in medicinal and aromatic
plants. In passing from plant production to the eventual product used by the public, many sciences
are involved. This series brings together information which is currently scattered through an ever-
increasing number of journals. Each volume gives an in-depth look at one plant genus, about which
an area specialist has assembled information ranging from the production of the plant to market
trends and quality control.
Many industries are involved, such as forestry, agriculture, chemicals, food, flavor, beverage,
pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and fragrance. The plant raw materials are roots, rhizomes, bulbs, leaves,
stems, barks, wood, flowers, fruits, and seeds. These yield gums, resins, essential (volatile) oils,
fixed oils, waxes, juices, extracts, and spices for medicinal and aromatic purposes. All these
commodities are traded worldwide. A dealer’s market report for an item may say “drought in the
country of origin has forced up prices.”
Natural products do not mean safe products, and account of this has to be taken by the above
industries, which are subject to regulation. For example, a number of plants which are approved
for use in medicine must not be used in cosmetic products.
The assessment of “safe to use” starts with the harvested plant material, which has to comply
with an official monograph. This may require absence of, or prescribed limits of, radioactive
material, heavy metals, aflatoxin, pesticide residue, as well as the required level of active principle.
This analytical control is costly and tends to exclude small batches of plant material. Large-scale,
contracted, mechanized cultivation with designated seed or plantlets is now preferable.
Today, plant selection is not only for the yield of active principle, but for the plant’s ability to
overcome disease, climatic stress and the hazards caused by mankind. Such methods as in vitro
fertilization, meristem cultures and somatic embryogenesis are used. The transfer of sections of
DNA is giving rise to controversy in the case of some end uses of the plant material.
Some suppliers of plant raw material are now able to certify that they are supplying organically
farmed medicinal plants, herbs and spices. The Economic Union directive CVO/EU No. 2092/91
details the specifications for the obligatory quality controls to be carried out at all stages of
production and processing of organic products.
Fascinating plant folklore and ethnopharmacology leads to medicinal potential. Examples are
the muscle relaxants based on the arrow poison, curare, from species of Chondrodendron, and the
antimalarials derived from species of Cinchona and Artemisia. The methods of detection of phar-
macological activity have become increasingly reliable and specific, frequently involving enzymes
in bioassays and avoiding the use of laboratory animals. By using bioassay-linked fractionation of
crude plant juices or extracts, compounds can be specifically targeted which, for example, inhibit
blood platelet aggregation, or have antitumor, or antiviral, or any other required activity. With the
assistance of robotic devices, all the members of a genus may be readily screened. However, the
plant material must be fully authenticated by a specialist.
The medicinal traditions of ancient civilizations such as those of China and India have a large
armamentarium of plants in their pharmacopoeias which are used throughout Southeast Asia. A
similar situation exists in Africa and South America. Thus, a very high percentage of the world’s
population relies on medicinal and aromatic plants for their medicine. Western medicine is also
responding. Already in Germany all medical practitioners have to pass an examination in phyto-
therapy before being allowed to practice. It is noticeable that medical, pharmacy, and health-related
schools throughout Europe and the United States are increasingly offering training in phytotherapy.
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Multinational pharmaceutical companies have become less enamored of the single compound,
magic-bullet cure. The high costs of such ventures and the endless competition from “me-too”
compounds from rival companies often discourage the attempt. Independent phytomedicine com-
panies have been very strong in Germany. However, by the end of 1995, 11 (almost all) had been
acquired by the multinational pharmaceutical firms, acknowledging the lay public’s growing
demand for phytomedicines in the Western world.
The business of dietary supplements in the Western world has expanded from the health store
to the pharmacy. Alternative medicine includes plant-based products. Appropriate measures to
ensure their quality, safety, and efficacy either already exist or are being answered by greater
legislative control by such bodies as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the recently created
European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products based in London.
In the United States, the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 recognized
the class of phytotherapeutic agents derived from medicinal and aromatic plants. Furthermore,
under public pressure, the U.S. Congress set up an Office of Alternative Medicine, which in 1994
assisted the filing of several Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, required for clinical
trials of some Chinese herbal preparations. The significance of these applications was that each
Chinese preparation involved several plants and yet was handled as a single IND. A demonstration
of the contribution to efficacy of each ingredient of each plant was not required. This was a major
step toward more sensible regulations in regard to phytomedicines.
My thanks are due to the staff of CRC Press who have made this series possible and especially
to the volume editors and their chapter contributors for the authoritative information.
Dr. Roland Hardman
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Foreword
At the beginning of the third millennium, phytotherapy is experiencing one of its most exciting
moments, not only due to the increase in the consumption of medicinal plants, but also to the
important phytochemical, pharmacological, and clinical investigations that are being conducted to
develop products with sufficient guarantees of quality, efficacy, and security. Species with essences
rich in anethole, such as star anise (Illicium verum), aniseed (Pimpinella anisum), and fennel
(Foeniculum vulgare), are commercially important as a result of their uses in medicine and diet.
These species are studied in depth in the book. The simultaneous study of anise fruits, commercially
known as “seeds,” is habitual in the pharmacopoeias and phytotherapy texts because their thera-
peutic applications (bronchial expectorant, gastrointestinal spasmolytic, carminative, etc.) are fun-
damentally caused by anethole, although other phytochemical components are different. Other
species of economic interest belonging to the genera cited are also discussed in the text.
Chinese star anise is widely used as a spice for flavoring food and beverages. Its adulteration
with the fruits of a species of similar morphology, Japanese star anise (I. anisatum), of which the
sesquiterpenlactone anisatin is the main cause of toxicity, is relatively frequent. In recent years, a
sanitary warning has been issued in Spain as a result of this adulteration, causing a fall in the
market for I. verum until all imported versions were analyzed. The phytochemistry of I. verum, as
well as that of other species of Illicium, is also studied in the text, which provides the book with
an additional discussion of current affairs.
The text includes a revision of the botanical characterization of the species, including the
methods of cultivation, harvesting, and drying/storage; chemical constituents; therapeutic and
pharmacological properties; and the monographs, formulations, economic importance, and market
trends, which will be useful for university professors and students, sanitation professionals, inves-
tigators, and persons working with aromatic and medicinal plants.
I wish to finish this brief prologue with words of gratitude. First, I would like to thank Dr.
Roland Hardman, who proposed the coordination of this book to me, for his constant aid in the
updating of the content. In addition, I want to express my gratitude to all the contributors, whose
dedication and infinite patience have allowed the book to finally see the light after multiple
vicissitudes. Finally, of course, I would like to thank the editorial staff of CRC Press, which
continues to publish the texts of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants — Industrial Profiles series.
Manuel Miró Jodral
Granada, Spain
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Contributors
Ulrich Bomme Jian-mei Huang
Bavarian State Research Center Tokushima Bunri University
for Agriculture Tokushima, Japan
Freising, Germany
Sheng-lin Li
María Dolores Contreras Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and
University of Granada Pharmacology
Granada, Spain Beijing, China
Anna De Pasquale Emi Okuyama
University of Messina Josai International University
–
Messina, Italy Togane, Japan
Juan Carlos Orte
Amit Krishna De
University of Granada
Indian Science Congress Association
Granada, Spain
Calcutta, India
Antonio Rapisarda
Anthony C. Dweck
University of Messina
Dweck Data
Messina, Italy
Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Jürgen Reichling
Yoshiyasu Fukuyama University of Heidelberg
Tokushima Bunri University Heidelberg, Germany
Tokushima, Japan
Richard M.K. Saunders
Enza Maria Galati The University of Hong Kong
University of Messina Hong Kong, China
Messina, Italy
Chun-shu Yang
María Reyes González-Tejero Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and
University of Granada Pharmacology
Granada, Spain Beijing, China
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1 General Introduction
to Pimpinella and Illicium
Anthony C. Dweck
CONTENTS
1.1 Aniseed Species
1.2 Plants Bearing Similar Names
1.3 P. anisum L
1.3.1 Biblical References
1.3.2 History
1.3.3 Traditional Uses
1.3.3.1 Flavoring
1.3.3.2 Perfumery
1.3.3.3 Cosmetic
1.3.3.4 Medicinal
1.3.3.5 Aromatherapy
1.3.3.6 Food
1.3.3.7 Animals
1.3.3.8 Miscellaneous
1.3.4 Preparations
1.3.5 Combinations with Anise
1.3.6 Pharmacopoeial Monographs
1.3.7 Legal Recognition
1.3.8 Legal Category (Licensed Products)
1.3.9 Remedies and Supplements
1.3.10 Simples
1.3.11 Safety
1.3.11.1 Contraindications
1.3.11.2 Toxicology
1.3.11.3 Pregnancy and Lactation
1.3.11.4 Adulterants
1.3.12 Deodorizing Properties
1.4 P. saxifraga and P. major
1.4.1 Origin of the Name
1.4.2 History
1.4.3 Traditional Uses
1.4.3.1 Flavor
1.4.3.2 Medicinal
1.4.3.3 Cosmetic
1.4.3.4 Food
1.4.3.5 Animals
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2 Illicium, Pimpinella, and Foeniculum
1.4.4 Preparations
1.4.5 Combinations with Burnet Saxifrage
1.4.6 Legal Category (Licensed Products)
1.4.7 Remedies and Supplements
1.4.8 Contraindications
1.4.9 Plants Confused with Burnet Saxifrage
1.4.10 Adulteration
1.5 I. verum Hook.
1.5.1 Origin of the Name
1.5.2 History
1.5.3 Traditional Uses
1.5.3.1 Flavor
1.5.3.2 Food
1.5.3.3 Medicinal
1.5.4 Preparations
1.5.5 Safety
1.5.6 Legal Category (Licensed Products)
1.5.7 Adulteration
1.5.8 Plants Confused with Star Anise
1.5.9 Other Species of Anise
References
1.1 ANISEED SPECIES
The Pimpinella and Illicium species are two genera that give the material commonly known as
anise and star anise. Burnet saxifrage is also a well-known species of the Pimpinella genus, though
it is neither burnet nor saxifrage. The genus Pimpinella (family: Umbelliferae) includes
P. alba
P. alpinum
P. angelicaefolium Lam. [= Aegopodium podagraria L.], goatweed
P. anisum L. [Syn. Anisum vulgare Gaertn., A. officinarum Moench., P. aromaticum Bieb.],
anise, aniseed, sweet cumin, anis, anason, anasur, anise seed, anison, anisu, anisum,
anisoon, kleiner anis, susser kummel, anis vert, fruit d’anis, maha-duru, anisi fructus,
sweet fennel, anysun, saunf, yan kok, and jintan manis (see Figure 1.1)
P. anisum Willd.
P. aromatica Bieb.
P. caffra
P. diversifolia
P. domingensis Willd. [= Ciclospermum leptophylum var. leptophylum]
P. involucrata
P. leptophylla Pers. [= Ciclospermum leptophylum var. leptophylum]
P. maggiore [= Sanguisorba officinalis]
P. magna, Greater burnet
P. major L. (Hudson), [Syn. P. magna?], great burnet, greater burnet saxifrage
P. peregrina L.
P. saxifraga, small burnet, saxifrage, burnet saxifrage, lesser burnet, petit boucage, boucage
saxifrage, kleine bibernelle, small pimpernel; and in Shropshire, England, known as bennet
and old man’s plaything (Grigson, 1996); the old medieval name was dipinella
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General Introduction to Pimpinella and Illicium 3
FIGURE 1.1 P. anisum
P. schweinfurthii
P. thellugiana Wolff
P. villosa
P. wallichiana
The genus Illicium (family Magnoliaceae) includes
I. anisatum Lour.
I. difengpi K.I.B. et K.I.M.
I. dunnianum Tutch.
I. floridanum
I. griffithii
I. henryi Diels.
I. lanceolatum A.C. Smith [= I. religiosum Sieb. et Zuce., I. anisatum]
I. majus
I. modestum
I. parviflorum
I. religiosum Sieb. et Zuce [Syn. I. anisatum], Japanese anise, Japanese star anise, bastard
anise, shikimi
I. san-ki Perr.
I. simonsii Maxim.
I. tashiroi
I. verum Hook. [Syn. I. anisatum, Anisi stellatum], anice stellato, aniseed stars, badiana,
stermanis, anise étoile, Chinese star anise, Chinese anise, eight-horned anise, eight horns,
star anise, pak kok, bunga lawang, poy kak bua
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4 Illicium, Pimpinella, and Foeniculum
1.2 PLANTS BEARING SIMILAR NAMES
Osmorbiza longistylis is known as anise root, and O. occidentalis is known as sweet anise or
western anise root (Coffey, 1993). Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop. or sweet cicely is also known locally
by the name anise in Durham (England), and wild anise or annaseed in Cumbria (England) (Grigson,
1996). Carum kelloggii Gray is known as wild anise (Saunders, 1976).
1.3 P. ANISUM L.
1.3.1 BIBLICAL REFERENCES
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!, for ye pay the tithe of mint and anise and cumin,
and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have
done, and not to leave the other undone.
—Matthew 23:23
1.3.2 HISTORY
Anise was cultivated and well appreciated by the ancients. The Arabs called it by the name anysun.
The Egyptians called it ìnst, and the hieroglyphic name can be traced to Pharaonic texts as a
component of refreshing drinks for stomach ailments, bladder problems, and other gastric illness
(Manniche, 1989). They certainly appreciated its aromatic qualities. About the same time, the
Chinese were also using anise as a carminative and expectorant (Lawrence Review of Natural
Products, 1991).
Anison was known to the ancient Greeks, and the Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides
mentioned the use of aniseed in medicine and that he preferred aniseed from Crete, with the
Egyptian material as his second preference. Pythagorus, the Greek geometrician and mathematician,
declared anisonas bread a great delicacy in 550 B.C., and praised it cooked or raw (Keville, 1991;
Sturtevant, 1972). Theophrastus (372–278 B.C.) mentioned aniseed, as did Pliny (23–77 A.D.),
who said “anesum, green or dry, is desirable in all seasonings or sauces” (Sturtevant, 1972).
Anise was also used in the ancient and Ayurvedic (Indian) medicinal system (Heinerman, 1988).
The Indian name for anise is the same as that for dill, and it is considered similar in properties and
uses (Attygale, 1994). In Sri Lanka, the seed has traditionally been used as a carminative and
aromatic (Jayaweera, 1982).
Anise flavored a spicy cake, called mustaceus by the Romans, which was made with an
unfermented wine and included powdered aniseed mixed with honey (Back, 1987; Gordon, 1980);
it also contained cumin and other digestive herbs (Bremness, 1991). This cake, considered a great
delicacy, was served at banquets and weddings to aid digestion and, possibly more important, was
considered to have aphrodisiac properties (Gordon, 1980). It is probably from this rich cake that
the traditional European wedding cake was derived.
The Romans also used anise medicinally (Back, 1987).
Anise warms the abdomen, dispels gas (especially after eating beans) and is helpful for belching,
vomiting, chronic diarrhoea, abdominal pains, sluggish digestion and hernia. The tribal people of the
Amazon find it especially good for children with stomach-aches. Anise is used as a sedative, especially
for nervousness and to induce sleep. It is thought to prevent fainting. In the Amazon, this herb is
thought to function as a female tonic during the menses by eliminating sad thoughts.*
* Raintree Group, Inc., Austin, TX, 1997.
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General Introduction to Pimpinella and Illicium 5
Palladius (at the beginning of the third century) gave directions for its sowing (Sturtevant,
1972), and Charlemagne (in the ninth century) instructed that anise should be grown on the imperial
farms in Germany (Sturtevant, 1972), as were all of the herbs and spices that he found growing in
St. Gall’s Monastery (Bremness, 1991).
In the thirteenth century, Albertus Magnus referred to the plant as Roman fennel.
In 1305, Edward I granted a patent giving the right to levy a toll on it at the Bridge of London
for the purpose of raising money to repair the bridge (Wood and Bache, 1883).
In 1480, King Edward IV had his personal linen scented with “lytil bagges of fustian stuffed
with ireos and anneys.”
In 1536, Ruellius recorded the use of anise in France and gave it the common name Roman
fennel.
In 1542, Boore, in his Dyetary of Helth, said of aniseed and fennel, “These herbes be seldom
used, but theyr seedes be greatly occupyde.” Before this date, the plant seems to have been grown
as a pot herb in England (Sturtevant, 1972).
In 1551, William Turner (1520–1568), in A New Herball, used anise to “maketh the breth
sweter.” It was taken in the form of comfits (seeds coated with sugar) (Norman, 1991).
In the seventeenth century, Quintyne wrote about the use of the leaves in salads. John Josselyn,
traveling in New England, made a list of the plants taken by the settlers and noted whether they
had prospered or failed; of coriander, dill, and anise, he wrote: “they thrive exceedingly.” It was
taken to North America by the Quakers as a medicinal herb crop, and in 1806, McMahon mentioned
anise as a culinary herb (McMahon, 1806).
In Victorian times, there existed a sweet known as a dragati, an aniseed-flavored “ball” with
a hard sugar coating, which became the much-loved dragée in France. It is interesting to note that
this term has been adopted by the pharmacy as any sweet sugar-coated pill.
1.3.3 TRADITIONAL USES
1.3.3.1 Flavoring
Mouthwashes and toothpastes or dentifrices were common uses for anise (Harry, 1963). It was also
used to mask the flavor of unpleasant-tasting medicines, as a flavor for some teas (Launert, 1989),
and in the preparation of various liqueurs. One of the oldest traditional uses is as a flavoring in
sweets, the best illustration of this use being aniseed balls.
It is a flavoring in pernod (Graves, 1990), anisette (Leung and Foster, 1996; Wichtl, 1994),
ouzo (Greek aniseed spirit), and pastis, and it is an ingredient of Benedictine, Boonekamp, Danziger
Goldwasser, etc. (Wichtl, 1994).
1.3.3.2 Perfumery
Anise is the component of various perfumes (Harry, 1963), and it is also used as a component of
potpourri (Back, 1987), in which the crushed seeds can be used for their fragrance (Bremness,
1991) or simply for their appearance.
The fragrance of anise is described as penetrating, the taste warm, aromatic, and sweetish. It
imparts its virtues wholly to alcohol, but only partially to water (Phelps-Brown, 1993) and sparingly
to boiling water (Wood and Bache, 1883). Because of the traditional use of anise oils with licorice
in licorice sweets, the flavor of anise is often confused with that of licorice (Leung, 1980).
1.3.3.3 Cosmetic
The tea will reduce skin oiliness (Heinerman, 1988), and the seeds can be ground and added to a
face pack (Bremness, 1991).
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6 Illicium, Pimpinella, and Foeniculum
1.3.3.4 Medicinal
The tea is used for children’s flatulence, upper respiratory tract problems, and bronchial asthmatic
attacks (Buchman, 1987). The tisane is also used as an expectorant (British Herbal Manufacturing
Association, 1996), as a cough suppressant (Fluck, 1988), and for pertussis (Newall et al., 1996),
and it is good for sore throats and bronchial infections (Ody, 1996). It is a pectoral (relieves
infections of the chest and lungs) and is used, not only in cough medicines, but also in lozenges
(Potter, 1985). It has been cited for use in whooping cough (Hoffman, 1991) because of its
antispasmodic action.
Sweetened with a little honey, anise is a soothing carminative for babies (for colic) and is useful
for a hacking cough (Ceres, 1984). It is also used as a sedative for children (Launert, 1989) and
may help reduce nausea (Phelps-Brown, 1993). It is an aid to digestion, nervous indigestion in
particular. The dried seeds may also be chewed as a digestive aid (Gordon, 1980).
Anise is a strong galactogogue, and so helps nursing mothers to produce more milk (Schauen-
berg and Paris, 1990). In addition, it has been traditionally used to facilitate childbirth (Leung and
Foster, 1996; Ody, 1996).
Anise oil is useful in destroying body lice (Spoerke, 1990), head lice, and itching insects
(Buchman, 1987), and the oil can be used by itself (Hoffman, 1991), which makes it useful for
pediculosis, the skin condition caused by lice (Newall et al., 1996).
It can be used for scabies (Ody, 1996), where it may be applied externally in an ointment base
(Hoffman, 1991). It can also be used in oil or in an ointment base as a stimulating liniment and
against vermin (Wichtl, 1994). It is mildly laxative (Fluck, 1988), but it is probably more often
used to counter the griping pains that can occur with constipation (Hoffman, 1991).
The following therapeutic benefits have been noted:
• Promotes menstruation (Leung and Foster, 1996) or emmenagogue (stimulates the men-
strual flow) (Wichtl, 1994)
• Has a mild tonic effect on the liver (Ody, 1996)
• Helps insomnia when taken as a few seeds in a cup of hot milk at bedtime (Gordon, 1980)
• Acts as an antispasmodic and antiseptic (Wichtl, 1994)
• Acts as a diuretic and diaphoretic (Spoerke, 1990)
1.3.3.5 Aromatherapy
Anise is used in aromatherapy to help ease difficulty in breathing (Price, 1987). The oil is also
thought to be an aphrodisiac (Wichtl, 1994), though the action is unclear from any source. In some
references it is said to be specifically a female aphrodisiac (Ody, 1996), whereas in others it is said
to increase libido and alleviate symptoms of male climacteric (Leung and Foster, 1996).
It has been described as very mildly narcotic, similar to fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) (Launert,
1989), and is reported as capable of causing delirium (in large doses) (Graves, 1990).
1.3.3.6 Food
The leaves of anise can be used in salads. The seeds are used in Italy to flavor diverse pastries; in
Germany, they are put in breads; and in England, they are used in special breads, in rye bread, and
even in cheese (Sturtevant, 1972).
Anise, star anise (to a lesser extent), anise oil, and star anise oil are widely used as flavoring
ingredients in all major categories of foods, including frozen dairy desserts, sweets (e.g., licorice
confections), baked goods, gelatins, and puddings, as well as in meat and meat products. The
highest average maximum use levels for anise oil are about 0.06% (570 ppm) in alcoholic beverages
and 0.07% (681 ppm) in sweets (Leung and Foster, 1996). Anise and star anise are widely used as
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General Introduction to Pimpinella and Illicium 7
domestic spices; the former is mainly used by Westerners, whereas the latter is used primarily by
Asians, especially in Chinese foods.
1.3.3.7 Animals
The powdered seed is largely employed in condition and other condiments for horses.
—Potter, 1985
The scent of aniseed is fascinating to dogs and is often used to decoy them away from a scent
(Graves, 1990), and the seed can be used as bait in mouse traps (Bremness, 1991).
1.3.3.8 Miscellaneous
Anise oil contains antifungal substances (Shukla and Tripathi, 1987), and one of the components,
anisic acid, is sold under the name SL-688 as a specific treatment for molds and is used for that
purpose at a concentration of 0.25% (Straetman, 1993). The oil may also demonstrate parasiticide
activity (Hoffman, 1991), and the tea is reputed to improve memory (Heinerman, 1988).
1.3.4 PREPARATIONS
Following is a list of different ways of taking anise:
• Dried fruits: Dose is 0.5 to 1 g or by infusion.
• Oil: Dose is 0.05 to 0.2 mL.
• Spirit BPC (British Pharmaceutical Codex) (1949): Dose is 0.3 to 1 mL.
• Distilled anise water BPC (1934): Dose is 15 to 30 mL (British Herbal Manufacturing
Association, 1983).
To take anise via infusion, the seeds should be gently crushed just before use to release the volatile
oils. Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 to 2 teaspoons of the seeds and let stand covered for 5 to 10
minutes; take 1 cup three times daily. To treat flatulence, the tea should be drunk slowly before
meals (Hoffman, 1991).
One drop of the oil may be taken internally by mixing it into half a teaspoonful of honey
(Hoffman, 1991). Another method of taking anise is to bring 2 pints of water to the boil, add 7
teaspoons aniseed, reduce heat to a lower setting, and simmer contents down to 1.5 pints. While
still warm, strain and add 4 teaspoons honey and glycerin. Take 2 teaspoons of this syrup every
few hours to relieve hacking coughs, or three times daily to strengthen the memory. If using as a
tea, omit the honey and drink 2 cups once or twice daily for skin problems, milk needs, or to relieve
stomach problems (Heinerman, 1988).
To make tea, cover 1 to 5 grams of the seeds (pounded or coarsely powdered immediately
before use) with boiling water and allow to draw in a closed vessel for 10 to 15 minutes (1 teaspoon
= ca. 3.5 g) (Wichtl, 1994).
Take 1 to 2 mL tincture three times a day or dilute 10 drops of essential oil in 25 mL carrier
oil as a chest rub (Ody, 1993).
1.3.5 COMBINATIONS WITH ANISE
Anise combines well with Mentha piperita in flatulent colic, with marrubium, tussilago, symplocarpus,
and lobelia in bronchitis, and with prunus in tracheitis. The oil (1%) may be combined with oil of
sassafras (1%) in an ointment base for scabies (British Herbal Manufacturing Association, 1983).
© 2004 by CRC Press LLC
