Japanese star anise looks almost identical to its Chinese counterpart and some commercially available sources of Chinese star anise have been found to be mixed with the Japanese spice.

Shikimic acid is a compound with strong antiviral capabilities. In fact, it’s one of the main active ingredients in Tamiflu, a popular medication for the treatment of influenza ( 7). Karapinar, M. Inhibitory effects of anethole and eugenol on the growth and toxin production of Aspergillus parasiticus. Int J Food Microbiol. 1990;10(3-4):193-199. View abstract. Anise (also called aniseed or sweet cumin) is the seed of the Pimpinella anisum plant. It belongs to the Apiaceae family, which also produces carrots, celery and parsley. While the plant’s leaves and roots are also edible, it’s most well-known for its small, brown seeds. They look very similar to fennel seeds, although they are significantly smaller.

Abdul-Hamid M, Gallaly SR. Ameliorative effect of Pimpinella anisum oil on immunohistochemical and ultrastuctural changes of cerebellum of albino rats induced by aspartame. Ultrastruct Pathol. 2014 May;38(3):224-36. doi:10.3109/01913123.2014.889259 Test tube studies have shown that anise can inhibit the growth of certain infection-producing fungi. One fungus affected is the yeast Candida albicans, which causes vaginal yeast infections and thrush. More research is necessary to find out whether anise can fight the growth of Candida albicans and other fungi in humans. Nutrients per Serving

Western researchers have also found that anise can reduce stomach acid in rats and protect the stomach lining against damage. But we need more research to understand how well anise works in human stomachs. The main use of anise in traditional European herbal medicine was for its carminative effect (reducing flatulence), [4] as noted by John Gerard in his Great Herball, an early encyclopedia of herbal medicine: Nahid K, Fariborz M, Ataolah G, Solokian S. The effect of an Iranian herbal drug on primary dysmenorrhea: a clinical controlled trial. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2009 Sep-Oct;54(5):401-4. doi:10.1016/j.jmwh.2008.12.006Hormone-sensitive conditions: Anise might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don't use anise. This includes breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, and others. Anise is used to flavor Greek ouzo and mastika; [23] Italian sambuca; [23] French absinthe, anisette, [24] and pastis; [25] Spanish anis de chinchón, [26] anís , [27] anísado [23] and Herbs de Majorca; [28] Turkish and Armenian rakı; [23] Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli arak; [23] and Algerian Anisette Cristal. [23] Outside the Mediterranean region, it is found in Colombian aguardiente [24] and Mexican Xtabentún. [29] These liquors are clear, but on addition of water become cloudy, a phenomenon known as the ouzo effect. [30] [31]