Star Anise (Illicium verum)
In short
Summary of findings for quick reference
Star anise is an East Asian culinary spice with a long medicinal tradition, particularly in China. It flavours five-spice powder and Vietnamese pho broth. In Austria it is familiar from Glühwein, Punsch and Lebkuchen. Its household use for flatulence and digestive complaints is traditional; the historical record does not establish its clinical effectiveness.
Reliable human studies are insufficient to establish the effectiveness of star anise for digestive complaints. The German Commission E assessed the fruit positively, but it has no dedicated EMA HMPCEuropean Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) monograph. Anise is a different species with its own assessment. Star anise supplies a starting material for manufacturing Tamiflu; the active drug oseltamivir is made through chemical processing. Star anise tea is not a substitute for influenza treatment.
Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum) is toxic and can cause seizures. It closely resembles the culinary species. Buy star anise explicitly sold as food from a traceable, reputable source. Do not give star anise tea to infants. The FDA warned in 2003 after about 40 illnesses, including around 15 infants; the species involved had not been identified at that time. Concentrated teas and essential oil are best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding as a precaution.
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
Star anise (Illicium verum) is the star-shaped, woody fruit of a small evergreen tree native to southwest China and northern Vietnam, in the family Schisandraceae (formerly placed in its own family Illiciaceae). The eight-armed fruit, with a single shiny brown seed nested in each arm, carries an unmistakable sweet, warm aroma that is dominated by trans-anethole, the same phenylpropene that gives Pimpinella anisum its character. Despite the similar scent, star anise is a completely different plant from European anise: a different family, a different growth form, and a different cultural lineage rooted in Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine rather than in Mediterranean herbalism.
In Austria and across the German-speaking world, star anise is a Christmas spice used in Glühwein, Punsch, Lebkuchen and Gewürzbrot. It is also an ingredient of Chinese five-spice powder; Ba Jiao is the name for star anise, not for the blend. The German Commission E assessed star anise positively for digestive complaints. Its use rests primarily on traditional experience. The fruit also supplies shikimic acid, a starting material for manufacturing oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. Star anise tea does not contain that drug.
History
Star anise has a long history as a spice and medicinal plant in China. Ba Jiao means “eight horns” and describes the fruit. Chinese medicine classifies it as warming and uses it for certain digestive complaints. It is also an ingredient of five-spice powder, usually with cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seed. The spice trade brought it to Europe, where it later became part of Christmas cooking.
In Austrian and German households, star anise is now a typical Christmas spice used with cinnamon, cloves and orange peel in Glühwein and Punsch, and in some Lebkuchen and spice-bread recipes. Its shikimic acid also links it to drug manufacturing: several chemical steps turn this raw material into oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. Shikimic acid can also be produced using microorganisms. Commercial production by fermentation was already under way before the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
Mechanism
Trans-anethole is the principal aroma compound in star anise and accounts for about 85 to 95 percent of its essential oil. Anise contains the same compound, explaining the similar scent. This does not establish that teas from the two plants have equivalent effects. Potential antispasmodic actions of individual constituents do not demonstrate clinical relief of digestive complaints from star anise.
The fruit also contains shikimic acid, a starting material for a multistep chemical synthesis of oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. The starting material and the finished drug are different compounds. The claim that star anise contains the active ingredient of Tamiflu is therefore false. Star anise tea has no established clinical effectiveness against influenza.
The digestive use of star anise rests primarily on traditional experience. The positive German Commission E assessment from 1988 lists digestive complaints and respiratory catarrh. This is not evidence from multiple robust clinical trials. There is no dedicated EMA HMPCEuropean Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) monograph for Illicium verum. The EMA assessment of anise (Pimpinella anisum) cannot be transferred to star anise.
The role of shikimic acid in manufacturing oseltamivir is well documented. This is industrial chemistry, not a clinical trial of the spice. Shikimic acid can be extracted from star anise or produced by microorganisms. Commercial fermentation for Tamiflu production was already in use in 2006. This provides no evidence that star anise tea treats influenza.
Evidence
| Outcome | Class | Grade | Effect | Studies | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild dyspeptic and spasmodic gastrointestinal complaintsGerman Commission E assessed star anise positively for digestive complaints. Reliable clinical evidence for the single herb remains insufficient. The EMA monograph for anise (Pimpinella anisum) does not apply to star anise.Adults using star anise as a culinary spice or digestive tea | 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. | Commission E Positive (Traditional Use) | [3] | |
| Carminative activity (whole spice and culinary use)Star anise is traditionally used for flatulence. Its aroma compound trans-anethole also occurs in anise. Shared constituents do not establish equivalent effects, and culinary use is not evidence of clinical effectiveness.Adults using star anise in cooking and tea | 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 | [4] | |
| Shikimic acid as pharmaceutical precursor (industrial use)Shikimic acid from star anise is a starting material for oseltamivir manufacturing. The active drug is produced through several chemical steps. Shikimic acid can also be made using microorganisms. This industrial use does not establish that star anise tea treats influenza.Pharmaceutical industry, not consumer | 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. | Industrial Precursor (Not Direct Effect) | [4][5] | |
| Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum) contaminationJapanese star anise contains anisatin, a neurotoxin that can cause seizures. A 2004 case series described seven infants with neurological reactions after star anise tea and evidence of contamination. The dose and composition of such teas vary. This establishes a poisoning hazard. These cases cannot establish the safety of correctly identified star anise at ordinary culinary amounts.Reported cases after star anise tea, particularly in infants | 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. | Poisoning reported after star anise tea | [1][2] |
Usage
Forms and preparation
For star anise tea, follow the amount and infusion time on the pack. Cover the cup to reduce the loss of volatile aroma compounds and strain afterwards. Do not eat the woody whole fruit. In braised dishes, stews or roast pork, one to two whole stars per pot often suffice, depending on the recipe. Remove them before serving. For Glühwein or Punsch, one to two whole stars per litre of wine or punch, simmered gently with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel for half an hour, gives the classic Christmas-market aroma. For Lebkuchen and Gewürzbrot, the spice is most often used in ground form alongside true anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom in a Lebkuchen spice mix. Whole stars are a useful kitchen reserve because they keep their aroma far longer than ground spice and can be picked out cleanly at the end of cooking. Star anise essential oil exists but should never be taken neat, and any internal use of the concentrated oil belongs in the hands of a qualified practitioner.
Dosage
For cooking, one to two whole stars per pot often suffice, depending on the recipe. Use ground star anise sparingly according to the baking recipe. For medicinal use, Commission E listed 3 g of dried fruit per day. This is a historical medicinal dose, not a general recommendation for homemade tea or an established safe upper limit. One whole star is not a precise dose unit. Follow the directions for a medicinal tea or consult a pharmacist. Culinary amounts in cooking and baking are distinct from concentrated essential oil. Do not take the oil neat, and use it internally only with professional advice. Buy star anise from a reputable supplier, explicitly sold as food or medicinal tea. Confusion with Japanese star anise can cause serious poisoning.
Safety
Look-alikes
Similar plants and look-alikes
Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum, shikimi)
Toxic: Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), called shikimi in Japanese, contains the neurotoxin anisatin, which can cause seizures. Serious neurological reactions have been reported in infants after homemade star anise tea, and researchers also found evidence of contamination with Japanese star anise. Appearance and scent are not reliable species checks for a layperson. Do not use fruit from unknown wild sources or sold for decoration.
Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
True anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a completely different plant from the carrot family (Apiaceae), not from the Schisandraceae. It produces small ribbed split fruits rather than star-shaped woody capsules and grows as an annual herb rather than an evergreen tree. The aroma is similar because both plants contain trans-anethole, but the safety profiles and the regulatory monographs are different. In Austrian and German baking, anise and star anise are often used side by side (Lebkuchen, Gewürzbrot), but they should be recognised and labelled separately.
Read the entry: AniseFAQs
What is the difference between anise (Pimpinella anisum) and star anise (Illicium verum)?
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an annual herb in the Apiaceae family with small ribbed fruits. Star anise (Illicium verum) is an East Asian evergreen tree with woody star-shaped fruit. Both contain the aroma compound trans-anethole. The EMA assessment of anise fruit for certain digestive complaints and cold-related cough is based on traditional use, not well-established clinical efficacy, and cannot be transferred to star anise. Both spices may occur in Lebkuchen and spice bread.
How can I tell Japanese star anise from Chinese star anise, and why does it matter?
Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum) contains the neurotoxin anisatin and can cause serious poisoning with seizures. Its fruit closely resembles culinary star anise. Neither appearance nor scent is a reliable species check for a layperson. Buy star anise explicitly sold as food by a reputable supplier with traceable sourcing. Do not use fruit from unknown wild sources or sold for decoration.
Is Tamiflu really made from star anise?
Star anise can supply a starting material: shikimic acid. Several chemical processing steps turn it into oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. The spice itself does not contain that drug. Shikimic acid is also made using microorganisms; commercial production for Tamiflu was already under way in 2006. Star anise tea has no established clinical effectiveness against influenza.
How do I use star anise in Glühwein and Christmas baking?
For Glühwein, use one to two whole stars per litre of red wine with cinnamon, cloves, orange peel and a little sugar, letting it infuse gently for about half an hour without boiling. Punsch can be flavoured similarly. Baking recipes generally use ground star anise in spice blends for Lebkuchen or spice bread. Follow the recipe. Anisbrezerl and Springerle are generally flavoured with true anise; the two spices are not interchangeable in every recipe. Whole stars keep their aroma longer than ground spice and can be removed after cooking.
Can I drink star anise tea in pregnancy or give it to my infant?
Do not give star anise tea to an infant: poisoning with neurological symptoms has been reported. A fennel-anise-caraway blend is not an automatically suitable substitute for babies; discuss digestive symptoms with a paediatrician. Adequate safety data for medicinal star anise tea during pregnancy and breastfeeding are lacking. Avoid concentrated teas and essential oil as a precaution. Small culinary amounts are distinct from these preparations.
6 sources.
- Diego Ize-Ludlow, Sean Ragone, Isaac S. Bruck, Jeffrey N. Bernstein, Michael Duchowny, Barbara M. Garcia Peña. Neurotoxicities in infants seen with the consumption of star anise tea. 2004. doi:10.1542/peds.2004-0058
- US Food and Drug Administration. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003: FDA Issues Advisory on Teas. 2003. Source
- Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL). List of Substances of the Competent Federal Government and Federal State Authorities: Category Plants and plant parts. 2014. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-10732-5
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Illicium verum Hook.f. – Plants of the World Online. Source
- Martek Biosciences Corporation. Martek Selected by Roche as a Production Partner for Key Ingredient for Tamiflu(R) Production. 2006. Source
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Anisi fructus: Community herbal monograph on Pimpinella anisum L., fructus. 2014. Source
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