Difference between revisions of "Anise"

Revision as of 13:14, 8 December 2013

Other Names: Anis, Anís, Anis Vert, Aniseed, Anise Essential Oil, Anisi Fructus, Graine d’Anis Vert, Huile Essentielle d’Anis, Phytoestrogen, Phyto-Œstrogène, Pimpinella anisum, Pinella, Semen Anisi, Shatpushpa, Sweet Cumin, Velaiti Saunf.
Pimpinella anisum, also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its flavor has some similarities with liquorice, fennel, and tarragon. The seed (fruit) and oil, and less frequently the root and leaf, are used to make medicine.

See also : Chai Tea

Special Precautions of Anise

• Anise is safe for most people including children in the amounts typically found in foods. It also appears to be safe when applied to the scalp in combination with other herbs. There isn't enough information available to know if anise is safe to take by mouth in medicinal amounts.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Anise is safe for pregnant and breast-feeding women when used as part of a normal diet. But it’s not known whether it’s safe to use anise in larger medicinal amounts during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Stick to food amounts.
• Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Anise might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use anise.
• Anise contains a chemical, estragole, which has caused liver cancer in laboratory mice.
• Birth control pills (Contraceptive drugs) interacts with ANISE
• Estrogens interacts with ANISE
• Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) interacts with ANISE

Benefits and uses of Anise are

• upset stomach
• intestinal gas
• runny nose
• expectorant to increase productive cough
• diuretic to increase urine flow
• as an appetite stimulant.
• Women use anise to increase milk flow when nursing, start menstruation, treat menstrual discomfort or pain, ease childbirth, and increase sex drive.
• Breast Cancer : anethole, the organic substance known for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Now research proves just how powerful it is at fighting cancer. One study shows that anethole stops breast cancer cells from growing. Not only that. It also prevents these cells from surviving. In fact, the anethole can cause the breast cancer cells to kill themselves altogether in some cases. This means that at the very least it can slow the growth and spread of breast cancer
• Men use anise to treat symptoms of “male menopause.”
• treatment of seizures
• nicotine dependence
• trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• asthma
• constipation.
• Some people apply anise directly to the skin to treat lice, scabies, and psoriasis.
• In foods, anise is used as a flavoring agent. It has a sweet, aromatic taste that resembles the taste of black licorice. It is commonly used in alcohols and liqueurs, such as anisette and ouzo. Anise is also used in dairy products, gelatins, meats, candies, and breath fresheners.
• In manufacturing, anise is often used as a fragrance in soap, creams, perfumes, and sachets.