Historical Uses of Anise

Anise (Pimpinella anisum), not to be confused with star anise (Illicium verum), is often used as a dried or ground preparation. At this time, high-quality human trials supporting the use of anise for any indication are lacking. However, it is one of the oldest known spice plants and is used by various cultures for both medicinal purposes and for cooking.

Anise is purportedly mentioned in the Bible in Matthew 23. There it is referred to as a currency, but it was also supposedly valued as a crop in Palestine and elsewhere in the East.

In Afghanistan, a bay laurel leaf was mixed with anise and Casuarina equisetifolia and used for inducing pregnancy when inserted intra-vaginally. Unani and Arabian traditional medicine practitioners have purportedly used anise for gastrointestinal complaints. Anise extract has been used as an anticonvulsant. Arab mothers have traditionally used anise for soothing infants. In traditional Arab medicine, the aqueous extract of anise was used for its gastroprotective effects.

In Ayurvedic medicine, anise is used to cure colic, gas, and indigestion. It is also useful for cough. Anethole (the main active constituent of anise) is used in a combination traditional Chinese herbal medicine used as a painkiller and stomachic.

In Europe, anise is commonly combined with caraway and fennel to treat digestive ailments. In Germany, anise may be combined with coriander, caraway, or fennel as a carminative or laxative. In Holland, new mothers were given dragees (sugar-coated) consisting of anise seed to encourage milk production, a combination of saffron, celery seed and anise is used by some women for dysmenorrhea. Aniseed essential oil has also been used as an anticonvulsant.

In modern (western) herbal medicine, anise is mainly used for gastrointestinal issues, and has been used in combination with other herbs for a wide variety of treatments.

References

Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. http://www.naturalstandard.com/

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/