Pimpinella Anisum and Illicium Verum: The Multifaceted Role of Anise Plants

Abstract

The role of dietary active compounds in human nutrition is an important area of investigation in the field of nutritional science. In this perspective, functional foods play a relevant role, offering a new kind of health tool that promises specific effects related to particular food components. Anise plant has a long cultural tradition in various countries all over the world, both as food and as drug. The essential oil of anise, extracted from the dry ripe fruits ofIllicium verumandPimpinella anisum, contains anethole, an active chemical compound that showed several functional properties including antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and oestrogenic properties.To date, studies conducted on the properties of anise, demonstrated the efficacy of the plant in the improvement of physiological condition in human and the possibility to exploit the active compounds of anise for the treatment of several chronic diseases. The aim of this review is to collect data on anise in order to evaluate its pharmacological properties.

Chinese star anise and anise, magic herbs in traditional Chinese medicine and modern pharmaceutical science

“…Prajapati et al, (2007) and Fritz et al (2008) reported that fruits are picked before they ripe and dried, and seeds are shiny brown or reddish with high oil content. Vecchio et al (2016) also noted that flowers bloom from March to May, and the fruits ripe from September to October. Anethole of star anise has been utilized in folk medicine industry because of its soothing and antispasmodic properties (Ludlow et al, 2004).…”

“…Yadav and Bhatnagar (2007) indicate that the treatment with star anise rescues the tumor burden, lowers oxidative stress and increases the level of phase II enzymes, which may contribute to its anticarcinogenic. Both the essential oil from Chinese star anise fruit and trans-anethole are major constituents and exhibit potent inhibitory effect against all test fungi indicating that most of the observed anti-fungal properties was due to the presence of trans-anethole in the oil, which could be developed as natural fungicides for plant disease control in fruit and vegetable preservation (Huang et al, 2010;Vecchio et al, 2016).…”

“…Traditional Chinese medicine plays an important role in sustainable agriculture and food systems, it also offers a holistic approach to prevent diseases while making appropriate use of organic and herbal products especially growth by small-scale family farmers. The aim of this review is survey on two flower, bisexual, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, white pink to red or greenish yellow, axillary and solitary (Vecchio et al, 2016). Fruit is capsule like, aggregate is star shapes; each arm is seed pod.…”

“…Other usages of star anise oil is in fevers, scabies, constipation and insomnia. Vecchio et al (2016) noted that Pimpinella anisum (anised or green anise) and Illicium verum (Chinese star anise or star anise) are both under the name of anise, but each one presents different functional and botanical characteristics. Both Chinese star anise and anise have been widely used in Iranian traditional medicine for antimicrobial effects (Yazdani et al, 2009).…”

Biofilm-Associated Agr and Sar Quorum Sensing Systems of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus are Inhibited by Fruit Extracts of Illicium Verum

“…(I.verum) belonging to family Illiaceae, is an aromatic evergreen tree that bears a purple-red flower and a star-shaped fruit, commonly known as star anise, often used as a spice in the tropical and subtropical world [14]. I. verum has potent antimicrobial, stimulant, antiviral, anticancer, anti-oxidative, rheumatism, otalgia, antiseptic and diuretic properties [15]. However, the exact constituent responsible for the anti-QS and antibiofilm activities in I.verum remains ambiguous.…”