Anise

Generic name: Pimpinella Anisum L.
Brand names: Anise, Aniseed, Sweet Cumin

Usage of Anise

Antimicrobial/Insecticidal effects

Animal data

Anise has been evaluated for its antimicrobial action against gram-negative and gram-positive organisms.Narasimha 1970 The anethole constituent also inhibited growth of mycotoxin-producing Aspergillus in culture.Leung 1996 Anise is used in dentifrices as an antiseptic and in lozenges and cough preparations for its weak antibacterial effects.Duke 2002, Leung 1996 One report testing aromatic waters (including anise) on the growth and survival of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been published.Ibrahim 1991

Larvicidal activity has been reported.Burgess 2010 Anise oil, when mixed with sassafras oil, is used as an insecticide.Chandler 1984 Applied externally, the oil has been used to treat lice and scabies.Chevalier 1996

Clinical data

A combination preparation of coconut and anise was reported to be superior to permethrin 0.43% in the treatment of head lice.Burgess 2010

CNS effects

Animal data

The pharmacological effects of anise are caused mainly by anethole, which has structural similarities to catecholamines (eg, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine).Newall 1996 Sympathomimetic-type effects have been attributed to anethole in at least one report.Albert-Puleo 1980 A study in rodents failed to demonstrate anxiolytic activity for aqueous Pimpinella seed extract; however, some activity related to learning was reported.Gamberini 2015

Anise oil was reported to prolong the latency and reduce the amplitude and duration of induced seizures in rats.Karimzadeh 2012

Antidepressant activity has been reported for both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. anisum fruit in mice.Shahamat 2016 Increased analgesic effects of codeine and benzodiazepine on motor impairment have been observed in mice, and decreased antidepressant effects of imipramine and fluoxetine have also been observed with aniseed essential oil pretreatment.Samojlik 2012

GI effects

Anise is well known as a carminative and an expectorant. It is used to decrease bloating and to settle the digestive tract.Bisset 1994, Chevalier 1996

Clinical data

Limited clinical studies have evaluated anise powder in the management of dyspepsia. Quality-of-life scores were reported to be higher in the treatment group compared with placebo.Ghoshegir 2014, Ghoshegir 2015

Anise oil was compared with peppermint oil in a clinical trial of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. A decrease in scores for abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and other symptoms was reported.Mosaffa-Jahromi 2016 In another trial, the same researchers also reported improvements in depression with anise oil treatment in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.Mosaffa-Jahromi 2017

Iron deficiency anemia

Animal data

Anise has promoted iron absorption in rats, suggesting possible use as a preventative agent in iron deficiency anemia.el-Shobaki 1990

Menopausal effects

Clinical data

P. anisum has been evaluated in a trial of peri- and postmenopausal women, with positive findings reported for menopausal symptoms (ie, hot flashes).Ghazanfarpour 2016, Nahidi 2012

Morphine dependence

Animal data

A study of morphine-dependent mice demonstrated a reduction in severity of withdrawal symptoms with ethanolic extracts of anise.Sherzadi 2017

Nephroprotective effects

Anise side effects

According to the Complete German Commission E Monographs, adverse effects of anise include occasional allergic reactions of the skin, respiratory tract, and GI tract.Bisset 1994 When applied to human skin in a 2% concentration in petrolatum base, anise oil produced no dermatological reactions. The oil is not considered to be a primary irritant. However, anethole has been associated with sensitization and skin irritation and may cause erythema, scaling, and vesiculation.Food Cosmet 1973 Anise oil in toothpaste has been reported to cause contact sensitivity, cheilitis, and stomatitis.Duke 2002 The constituent bergapten may cause photosensitivity.Newall 1996

Before taking Anise

Anise is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) when used at levels found in food.FDA 2017 Aniseed is a reputed abortifacient. Use in amounts exceeding those found in food is not recommended in pregnancy.Chevalier 1996, Newall 1996

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. anisum L. seeds have demonstrated galactagogue effects in rodents. The maximum nonfatal dose was reported to be 2.2 g/kg in rats.Hosseinzadeh 2014 Aniseed was one of the 4 most common herbs used by certified or licensed midwives for increasing lactation based on state-wide surveys in California, Texas, and North Carolina.Dennehy 2010

How to use Anise

GI disorders: In limited clinical studies, anise 3 g powder taken after each meal (3 times per day) for 4 weeks has been studied in the treatment of dyspepsia.Ghoshegir 2014

Menopausal symptoms: Capsules containing P. anisum 330 mg taken 3 times daily for 4 weeks have been used for treatment of menopausal symptoms (ie, hot flashes).Nahidi 2012

Warnings

Anise oil has GRAS status when used in typical amounts found in food. In rats, the acute oral median lethal dose (LD50) of the oil is 2.25 g/kg. No percutaneous absorption of the oil through mouse skin occurred within 2 hours.Meyer 1959 The oral LD50 of anethole is 2,090 mg/kg in rats; rats fed a diet containing anethole 0.25% for 1 year showed no adverse effects, while those receiving anethole 1% for 15 weeks had microscopic changes in hepatocytes.Duke 2002

The cis-isomer of anethole is 15 to 38 times more toxic to animals than the trans-isomer.Duke 2002, Leung 1996 Ingestion of the oil in doses as small as 1 mL may result in pulmonary edema, vomiting, and seizures.Spoerke 1980 The estrogenic activity of anethole and its dimers may alter hormone therapy (eg, oral contraceptives).Zabłocka-Słowińska 2014

What other drugs will affect Anise

Case reports are lacking. Increased analgesic effects of codeine and benzodiazepine on motor impairment have been observed in mice, and decreased antidepressant effects of imipramine and fluoxetine have also been observed with aniseed essential oil pretreatment.Samojlik 2012 Similarly, a pharmacokinetic interaction with acetaminophen and caffeine has been reported in rodents.Samojlik 2016

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