Unlock the Secrets of the Anise Plant

The medicinal and culinary properties of the anise plant were already known in Egypt and Greece. However, the Arabs were the first to introduce it to Spain and Europe during the Middle Ages. Andres de Laguna, an outstanding Spanish physician and botanist of the Renaissance, who translated into Spanish and commented on the works of the great Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist, and author Pedanius Dioscorides, said of this plant: “It corrects the corruption of bad breath, eliminating gas, and also acid belches.”

The anise plant was also called “husbands-are-back” since those husbands leave home due to their wives’ lousy breath when the latter take anise; the former is back. That’s another application of the plant that can still be used.

Anise Plant Scientific Facts

1. Other names: Anise plant, aniseed, common anise.
2. French: Anis vert.
3. Spanish: Anis, anis verde.
4. Environment: Native to the Middle East, its cultivation has spread over all Mediterranean countries with hot climates. Spain is one of the top-ranked producers worldwide.
5. Description: Anise is a plant of the Umbelliferae family, growing from 50 to 80 cm high. It has a grooved stem and whitish flowers growing in umbels. Its fruit is an oval grain with a pleasant aroma. Though anise belongs to poison parsley’s botanical family, both plants are challenging to mistake since anise has a lovely smell and peculiar features.
6. Parts of the plant used medicinally: The fruit.

Healing Properties and Indications

Many of the anise plant’s properties are due to its essence, anethole. When isolated from the rest of the plant’s active components and then concentrated, anethole loses its healing virtues and can even become toxic (it can provoke convulsions). Anise liquors made with this essence have no medicinal properties but poisonous effects because of alcohol and anethole.

However, anise fruits, as offered by nature, practically lack any of their toxic essence effects. The fruits contain other substances besides anethole, such as phenol, malic acid, sugars, and choline. Their properties are as follows:

1. On the digestive system: Anise is the archetype of plants with carminative, appetizer, digestive, and stomach-invigorating properties. It cleans fermentation and putrefaction from the intestine. With caraway, fennel, and coriander, it makes the “herbal tea of the four seeds,” of which Font Quer said no flatulence could resist. For children and babies on a milk diet, an anise infusion is beneficial for gas or diarrhea. Giving anise infusions to babies on a milk diet as a soft drink is a good habit.
2. On the respiratory system, anise has expectorant properties. It promotes the elimination of bronchial mucous by making it more fluid. It is recommended for people with asthma and bronchial disorders, especially those who want to give up smoking since it acts as a proper antidote for nicotine and tar. It cleans the irritating mucus of the bronchi and promotes regeneration of the mucosal cells. Moreover, tobacco-smelling breath is eliminated, giving a fantastic aroma.
3. On mammary glands, it has galactogenic properties, which means it increases milk production. Cattle breeders give the anise plant to their cows and sheep, mixing it with forage. Because anise is eliminated through the milk, breastfeeding women will help their babies by taking anise.

How to use Anise

1. Infusion with a teaspoon (3g) of fruits per cup of water. Drink up to three hot cups daily, preferably after meals. They may be sweetened with honey.
2. Infusion for babies on a milk diet. This infusion is prepared with 1-2 tablespoonfuls of dry fruits (3-6g) in a quarter of a liter of water (250 ml). Sweeten with a teaspoonful of sugar (babies do not tolerate honey well on a milk diet). Administer during the whole day.
3. Essence: The recommended dose is 1-5 drops, two or three times a day.
4. Powder: Up to two grams a day.

DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is presented solely for educational and informational objectives. It would be best to not rely on the information provided as a replacement for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified medical expert. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any preexisting medical concerns, you should talk to your doctor before using any herbal or natural medicines.

REFERENCES

1. George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 465,466. Print.
2. National Institutes of Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137549/
3. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609147/
4. Phytotherapy Research Journal: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.1665
5. Pharmaceutical Biology Journal: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22494526/