Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Pimpinella
Species: anisum
Common Names: Anise, Anason, Anis, Anasur, Anisu
Part Used:Whole Herb

Quoted References

1. "Anise warms the abdomen, dispels gas (especially after eating beans) and is helpful for belching, vomiting, chronic diarrhea, abdominal pains, sluggish digestion and hernia. The tribal people of the Amazon find it especially good for children with stomachaches. Star 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."

2. "Anis was originally used in Ancient Egypt. It is helpful in removing excess mucous from the lungs and digestive track. It has been used for colic in children, as an antispasmodic, and an antifungal. It can help prevent fermentation and gas in the stomach and bowels, thus relieving bloating and belching after meals. Anis is a mild diuretic and can stimulate added production of milk in nursing mothers. It has been mostly used for digestion issues including indigestion, nausea and gallbladder cleansing. It can also help asthma, bronchitis, and insomnia. Folklore says that if you place anis in your pillow it will ward off bad dreams."

3. "Anis has long been used for relieving colic in children. Anis is helpful in removing excess mucus in the alimentary canal. Also believed effective as an intestinal purifier."

4. "Carminative and pectoral. Anise enjoys considerable reputation as a medicine in coughs and pectoral affections. In hard dry coughs where expectoration is difficult, it is of much value. Oil of Anise, distilled in Europe from the fruits of Pimpinella anisum, Anise, and in China from the fruits of Illicium anisatum, Star Anise, a small tree indigenous to China, is colorless, or a very pale yellow. The oils obtained from these two fruits are identical in composition, and nearly the same in most of their characters."

7. "The volatile oil in Aniseed provides the basis for its internal use to ease griping, intestinal colic and flatulence. It also has a marked expectorant and anti-spasmodic action and may be used in bronchitis, in tracheitis where there is persistent irritable coughing, and in whooping cough."

ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE USES
China	Anodyne, Carminative, Cholera, Kidney, Stimulant
Elsewhere	Abortifacient, Asthma, Balsamic, Carminative, Colic, Cough, Diaphoretic Diuretic, Expectorant, FumitoryFungicide, Stomachic
Europe	Cancer
Mayala	Colic, Gonorrhea, Stomachach
Mexico	Carminative, Galactogogue
Turkey	Carminative, Expectorant, Lactogogue, Pectoral, Spasm, Spice, Stimulant, Stomachic, Sudorific

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* The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information contained in this plant database file is intended for education, entertainment and information purposes only. This information is not intended to be used to diagnose, prescribe or replace proper medical care. The plant described herein is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose, mitigate or prevent any disease. Please refer to our Conditions of Use for using this plant database file and web site.

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Last updated 2-11-2013