Anise
In short
Summary of findings for quick reference
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is cultivated for its aromatic fruits. Dioscorides and Pliny described it in the first century. Around 800, the Capitulare de villis listed it among garden plants for royal estates. In Austrian and German cooking, it is especially familiar in Christmas baking.
Traditional use centres on mild spasmodic digestive complaints with bloating and flatulence, and on cough associated with a cold. The EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) describes these uses in separate monographs for anise fruit and anise oil. Clinical research on anise alone is limited; traditional-use status does not establish clinical efficacy.
For tea, the fruits are lightly crushed just before brewing. Because they contain estragole, the EMA recommends minimising exposure and keeping use short. Anise fruit medicines are not recommended for children under twelve or during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Anise essential oil should not be taken neat. Anise must also be distinguished from star anise (Illicium verum).
Clinical evidence ↔ Historical significanceWe display two separate evidence categories: clinical evidence from modern trials and historical significance from documented healing tradition. Both are valuable, but they answer different questions.Read more
In every encyclopedia entry we evaluate two distinct categories of evidence. Clinical evidence as used in trials meets a narrower but scientifically essential bar. At the same time, the hundreds of thousands of plant species worldwide have only partially been captured and tested in modern studies.
Alongside the trial picture our researchers compile a comprehensive overview of where and since when a plant has been used across different traditions of natural medicine. When a plant has been used as a medicinal plant in many cultures across many generations, that historical significance deserves to be visible too.
Our position: a truly informative overview emerges only when both categories sit side by side. We communicate transparently what counts as what.
Overview
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an aromatic annual herb in the Apiaceae family. Its ripe split fruits, commonly called aniseed, are used in baking and tea. The EMA monograph describes traditional use of anise fruit for mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints with bloating and flatulence, and as an expectorant for cough associated with a cold. This status rests on long-standing use and does not establish clinical efficacy.
In Austria, anise flavours Lebkuchen, Gewuerzbrot, and Anisbrezerl and is also used in fennel-anise-caraway teas. Its sweet aroma comes mainly from trans-anethole. It also contains estragole, exposure to which from herbal medicines should be kept as low as possible, including in medicinal tea. Use is limited in duration; the EMA does not recommend anise fruit medicines for children under twelve or during pregnancy and breastfeeding because adequate safety data are lacking.
History
Anise was known as a spice and medicinal plant in Greek and Roman antiquity. In the first century, Dioscorides describes it in De Materia Medica, Book 3, chapter 65, including warming, diuretic, and carminative uses. Pliny mentions seasoning and uses for appetite and digestive complaints in Natural History, Book 20, chapters 72 and 73. These texts document historical practice, not efficacy by modern standards.
Around 800, the Carolingian Capitulare de villis lists anise as “anesum” among plants to be grown on royal estates. This establishes cultivation at that time, but gives no specific medicinal use. Today anise is familiar in Austrian and German Christmas baking and household herbal practice. Anise fruit also appears in German Commission E and EMA monographs. Historical use in children’s teas should be distinguished from current age restrictions for medicinal tea.
Mechanism
The sweet aroma of anise comes mainly from trans-anethole, the principal constituent of its essential oil. Preclinical studies describe effects including antispasmodic activity. Such findings may make traditional digestive use plausible, but do not by themselves demonstrate benefit in humans. The EMA also classifies use as an expectorant for cough associated with a cold as traditional use.
Anise also contains estragole. Evidence of genotoxic and carcinogenic effects has led the EMA to recommend minimising exposure from herbal medicines. This concern is not confined to concentrated oil. Preparation, dose, and duration of use all matter. Laboratory findings concerning hormonal activity of individual compounds likewise do not establish such an effect of anise tea in humans.
The EMA monograph on anise fruit describes traditional use for mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints with bloating and flatulence, and as an expectorant for cough associated with a cold. It rests on long-standing use and plausible effects. The monograph does not authorise individual products or establish clinical efficacy.
Clinical studies of anise alone exist but remain limited. In a 2015 randomised trial involving 107 adults with postprandial distress syndrome, symptoms improved more with anise powder than with placebo. The study tested powder taken for four weeks, not tea. It does not establish a general recommendation for anise tea or longer self-treatment. Trans-anethole dominates the essential oil; estragole, also called methylchavicol, is another constituent.
Evidence
| Outcome | Class | Grade | Effect | Studies | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints and dyspepsiaThe EMA monograph describes traditional use of anise fruit for mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints with bloating and flatulence. This status rests on long-standing use and plausible effects, not established clinical efficacy of anise tea.Adults with mild spasmodic GI complaints, bloating, and flatulence | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Expectorant use for cough associated with a coldThe EMA monograph describes anise fruit as a traditional expectorant for cough associated with a cold. This classification rests on long-standing use and is not proof of clinical efficacy.Adults with cough associated with a cold | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Traditional use for flatulence, alone and in tea blendsIn Austrian and German household practice, anise is used alone and in fennel-anise-caraway teas for flatulence. Findings for a blend cannot automatically be attributed to anise alone. Historical use as a children’s tea does not establish a current recommendation for children under twelve.Adults with bloating and flatulence | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Estragole in anise preparationsExperimental studies show genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of estragole. The EMA recommends minimising exposure from herbal medicines and limiting use to short periods. The concern also applies to estragole-containing medicinal tea, not only concentrated oil.High-dose animal studies of concentrated estragole | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | IEvidence quality grade I (Insufficient). Not enough evidence to draw a conclusion. More research needed. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Estragole safety concern | [2] |
Usage
Forms and preparation
Weigh the amount of anise fruit specified in the dosage section and lightly crush it in a mortar just before brewing. Pour over 150 ml freshly boiled water and cover the cup to help retain volatile aromatic compounds. Steep according to the product instructions and strain before drinking. Anise is also blended with fennel and caraway for tea. Follow the preparation and age instructions of the specific medicinal blend; a blend is not automatically suitable for infants or children. In baking, anise flavours foods such as Lebkuchen, Anisbrezerl, and Springerle. Use anise fruits according to the recipe. Concentrated anise essential oil must not be taken neat.
Dosage
For adolescents over twelve and adults, the EMA monograph specifies 1 to 3.5 g of whole or freshly comminuted anise fruits in 150 ml boiling water, three times daily. Follow the leaflet of the specific medicinal tea product. Use should last no more than two weeks; because of estragole, the EMA recommends the lowest dose where a range is given. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or worsen. Medicinal use is not recommended for children under twelve. Tea doses cannot be transferred to extracts, capsules, or essential oil. Follow the medicine’s leaflet and ask a pharmacist if uncertain. Anise essential oil must not be taken neat; internal use requires qualified guidance. Amounts used to flavour baked goods are not medicinal doses.
Safety
Look-alikes
Similar plants and look-alikes
Star anise (Illicium verum)
Star anise (Illicium verum) belongs to Schisandraceae, whereas anise belongs to Apiaceae. Star anise bears star-shaped woody fruits; anise produces small ribbed split fruits. Both contain trans-anethole and have a similar aroma, but their effects, doses, and safety information are not interchangeable.
Read the entry: Star Anise (Illicium verum)Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is a deadly poisonous member of Apiaceae. Young plants can be confused with other members of this family. Purple stem blotches and an unpleasant smell are clues, but are not sufficient for reliable identification on their own. Use anise from reliably identified cultivation or a supplier for tea and cooking. Leave any wild plant you cannot identify with certainty.
FAQs
Is anise (Pimpinella anisum) the same as star anise (Illicium verum)?
No. Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an annual herb in the Apiaceae family, used for its small ribbed fruits, commonly called aniseed. Star anise (Illicium verum) is an evergreen tree in the Schisandraceae family, native to China and Vietnam, with star-shaped woody fruits. Both contain trans-anethole and smell similar, but their doses and safety information are not interchangeable. The EMA anise fruit monograph covers Pimpinella anisum.
What is Lebkuchen and where does anise fit in?
Lebkuchen is a spiced baked good in the Austrian and German Christmas tradition. Its spice mix varies by recipe and may include anise alongside cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, or coriander. Anise adds a distinctive sweet note and also flavours Anisbrezerl and Springerle. The fruits are used whole or ground. Culinary spice amounts should not be equated with taking concentrated essential oil.
What should readers know before taking anise essential oil internally?
Do not take anise essential oil neat. It is a concentrated distillate, and its dose cannot be inferred from tea preparation. It also contains estragole, exposure to which from herbal medicines should be minimised. This safety concern is not confined to oil. If internal use is being considered, consult a doctor or pharmacist and follow the medicine’s instructions. According to the EMA, anise oil must not be used under eighteen.
Can I drink anise tea in pregnancy?
Adequate safety data for medicinal use of anise fruit, including medicinal tea, during pregnancy and breastfeeding are lacking. The EMA therefore does not recommend it during these periods. The same applies to anise oil. Historical household use does not establish safety. If you want to treat symptoms, ask your doctor, midwife, or pharmacist about a suitable alternative.
2 sources.
- Ghoshegir SA, Mazaheri M, Ghannadi A, Feizi A, Babaeian M, Tanhaee M, Karimi M, Adibi P. Pimpinella anisum in the treatment of functional dyspepsia: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial. 2015. PMID:25767516
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Public statement on the use of herbal medicinal products containing estragole, Revision 1 Corr 1. 2023. Source
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