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Star anise is spice that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. It has powerful bioactive compounds that may help treat fungal, bacterial, and viral infections.
Star anise is a spice made from the fruit of the Chinese evergreen tree Illicium verum.
It’s aptly named for the star-shaped pods from which the spice seeds are harvested and has a flavor that is reminiscent of licorice.
Because of similarities in their flavor and names, star anise is often confused with anise, though the two spices are unrelated.
Star anise is famed not only for its distinct flavor and culinary applications but also for its medicinal benefits.
This article reviews the benefits, uses and potential risks of star anise.
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Herbs and spices are often unsung heroes of the health and nutrition world and star anise may be no exception.
Information on its vitamin and mineral content is lacking, but considering the small amount of spice you may use at any one time, its nutritional value may be less significant (1).
Nonetheless, it’s an impressive source of several powerful bioactive compounds — all of which are vital contributors to good health.
The most valuable component of star anise may lie within its dense supply of flavonoids and polyphenols. These may primarily be responsible for the spice’s broad applications and medicinal benefits (2).
Some of the major health-promoting compounds found in star anise include (2, 3, 4):
Together, these compounds may contribute to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of star anise.
Some animal and test-tube research indicates that the antioxidant capacity of this spice may even possess anti-cancer properties, such as reducing tumor size (5, 6).
Ultimately, more research is needed to better understand how the bioactive compounds in star anise may support human health.
SummaryStar anise is rich in a variety of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds that may contribute to its medicinal capacity.
Star anise has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years and has also been accepted into some Western medicine practices more recently.
Its rise in popularity is largely driven by its antimicrobial properties and pharmacological potential.
One of the most popular pharmacologically relevant attributes of star anise is its shikimic acid content.
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).
Currently, star anise is the primary source of shikimic acid used for pharmaceutical product development. As the influenza pandemic continues to mount as a threat to global health, the demand for star anise is on the rise (7).
Some test-tube research has also shown that the essential oil of star anise may treat other types of viral infections, including herpes simplex type 1 (8).
Though star anise is frequently used for treating influenza, more research is needed to further understand its potential to treat other viral infections in humans.
Star anise is a rich source of the flavonoid anethole. This compound is responsible for the spice’s distinct flavor and offers potent antifungal benefits.
Some agricultural research has found that trans-anethole derived from star anise may inhibit the growth of pathogenic fungi in certain edible crops (9).
Test-tube research indicates that other bioactive compounds found in star anise essential oil, like terpene linalool, may suppress biofilm and cell wall formation of infectious fungi in humans (10).
Pure Chinese star anise is generally recognized as safe for most people. However, there have been few reports of allergic reactions (14).
For the general population, a more serious concern is a close relative of the Chinese spice — the highly toxic Japanese star anise.
Japanese star anise is known to contain potent neurotoxins that can lead to serious physical symptoms, including seizures, hallucinations and nausea (15).
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.
Additionally, there have been case reports of severe, potentially fatal reactions to star anise in infants (16).
It is presumed that these cases were due to unknown contamination with the Japanese spice. Thus, it’s recommended that star anise is not given to infants and children (16).
To proceed cautiously, it’s a good idea to check the source of the star anise you’re purchasing to ensure it’s purely the Chinese variety.
If you’re not 100% certain of the source or purity, it may also be good practice not to use too much at once in order to avoid accidental intoxication.
SummaryStar anise is generally considered safe but may be contaminated with highly toxic Japanese star anise. To ensure the purity of the spice you’re buying, always double-check its source to avoid accidental intoxication.
Star anise has a distinct licorice flavor that can enhance a variety of dishes.
Its powerful bioactive compounds may help treat several fungal, bacterial and viral infections.
While consumption of pure Chinese star anise is typically safe, it may be contaminated with Japanese star anise that is highly toxic.
Always double check the source of the spice you’re purchasing to ensure purity and start with a small amount to avoid adverse reactions.
It's not unpleasant at all, but it doesn't come close to the true Anise Seed. I have a very old bottle that, I was nicely surprised, smells as sweet, delicious and strong as it did some 22 years ago. This is bright and vibrant, so it has its qualities, but I was searching for the true scent of anise to replicate the scent I'd created with anise seed, and this is not it. I hope that EB will be able to source Pimpinella Anisum from Europe. (I tried it from another company, that one was sourced in Egypt, and it was even worse: it arrived with zero odor whatsoever!) And that's why I decided to try "star" anise, because no one else seems to carry the original Anise Seed. (Mine was sadly discontinued!) Also, no: this does not smell like the confection licorice in the least, not even close. Licorice is a deep, dark flavor, to which they add anise because the true taste of licorice isn't palatable to children. Therein lies the confusion. Licorice and anise often go hand in hand. (If you've tried non flavored licorice candy, it's not all that great tasting.) At any rate, this EO is a disappointment to me for the strong anise-based project I was trying to recreate, as it doesn't come close to true anise. Star anise isn't even the same plant, and I wish they'd have given this botanical a different name to better differentiate from Pimpinella Anisum, the "real thing", aka Star Anise. However, if you need a bright, cool, "minty-fresh" yet not overpowering scent, this would work just fine. There is no unpleasant residue of anything to this one.
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