Anise

Species name: pimpinells anisum.

Also known as: Aniseed.

Anise essential oil is made from the annual herb, Anise. Anise is cultivated all over Europe, India, and South America. The fruits are commonly used as flavoring for cakes, candies and such.

The fruits are further distilled into essential oil which can be used in medicines, for flavorings, and to scent various cosmetics. Anise, pimpinella anisum, is a slow-growing herb that is actually a member of the parsley family. It has been used since ancient times for medicinal and fragrance purposes.

Home Remedies using Anise Essential Oil:

Benefits of Anise Essential Oil:

In addition to its medicinal purposes, anise is popularly used to flavor various dishes and beverages. It is especially well known as a flavoring in the liquor absenthe and anisette.

The essential oil is valuable in perfumes and soaps and has been used as medicine since ancient times.

Uses of Anise Essential Oil:

Anise is useful as medicine due to the presence of certain chemicals present in the anise fruits. The chemical anethole, found in anise fruit, may help with digestive disorders, and prevent anemia by facilitating the absorption of vitamin B-12.

The Romans ate aniseed cake at the end of rich meals to prevent indigestion. Because of the creosol and alpha-pinene content in anise essential oil, it loosens mucus, making it easier to cough, and improving respiratory afflictions such as asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

Due to the chemicals dianethole and photoanethole found in anise, which have properties similar to estrogen, anise may help relive menopausal symptoms and help with menstrual problems. The anise fruits and the essential oil of anise contain these chemicals and can be used as a medicinal plant.

Anise has been recognized as an antibacterial, antiseptic agent as well as an effective cleanser for wounds and abrasions, and a natural muscle relaxant.

It is also used for a wide variety of things such as breath freshener, an aid for digestion, to induce sweating, for expectorant properties, and a remedy for water retention.

• Anise essential oil may be inhaled to ease lung and nasal congestion and facilitate easy breathing.
• Anise essential oil can be used in mouthwash or tea to sweeten breath.
• Aniseed may be used as an expectorant to break up mucus and ease breathing.
• Aniseed is a good expectorant and drinking aniseed tea soothes the throat while easing coughs.
• Drinking anise tea or using essential oil breaks up intestinal gas.
• Menopause. Aniseed tea can help alleviate menopausal symptoms.
• Anise tea can relieve morning sickness during pregnancy.
• Aniseed tea can provoke the let down reflex of nursing mother's and aid in breast milk production.
• Drinking aniseed tea relieves sore throat pain.
• Anise essential oil is commercially available in skin cream, mouth rinse and used in toothpastes.
• Essential oil of anise can be used for inhalation therapy in steamers, vaporizers, inhalers, or baths.
• The essential oil can be administered orally at a dose of no more than 0.01 ounces a day.
• Anisette, liquor made from Anise essential oil, may mixed and taken orally in hot water to help relieve problems such as bronchitis and asthma.
• One to three drops of essential oil in honey or in sugar water has been used to relieve colic in babies.

Side Effects of Anise Essential Oil:

Although anise is generally considered safe, the side effects of its estrogenic activities are not conclusive.

If Anise oil is taken in large doses, it can induce nausea, vomiting, seizures, and Cardio pulmonary swelling.

Also, contact of the concentrated oil with the skin can cause irritation, so it should be diluted with carrier oil when used on the skin.

Caution: It is essential that anise essential oil not be confused with Japanese Star Anise, which is poisonous.