Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), a dominant spice and traditional medicinal herb for both food and medicinal purposes

Abstract

Aromatic plants such as anise seed have a long traditional use in both folk and conventional medicine and of course in the pharmaceutical industry. Important compounds found in anise seed include estragol, p-anisaldehyde, anise alcohol, acetophenone, pinene, and limonene, but the most important volatile oil that gives the characteristic sweet, aromatic flavor to seeds is anethole. The recent studies have shown that anise seeds and essential oil have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, gastro-protective, antidiabetic, and antiviral activities. Other important benefits of anise seeds are stimulant, carminative, expectorant, insecticide, vermifuge, digestive, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antiepileptic, antihysteric, culinary significance, keeps the heart strong by its importance role to control the blood pressure, one of the best gas-releasing agent, eases many hormonal problems in females, hair benefits, skin benefits, and it may reduce symptoms of depression. Anise seed and its extract also use in savory dishes, baked goods, and different drinks in both ancient and modern time. Anise seeds are good source of many essential B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. The seeds are also important source of minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. Antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and A can also be found in the spice. More clinical studies are necessary to uncover the numerous substances and their effects in ginseng that contribute to public health.

Keywords:

• Health benefits
• traditional Chinese medicine
• traditional Asian medicine
• clinical aspect
• anethole

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Pimpinella asnisum L. is an aromatic, annual grassy herb with 30–50 cm height, white flowers and small green to yellow seeds with secondary feather like leaflets of bright green, twice pinnate. Keeping the traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine and other Asian medicine is vital requirement for not only saving traditional Chinese medicine are not only important cultural resources, but also can be used as organic products to have sustainable life. Anise seed oil contains anethol, estragole, eugenol, pseudisoeugenol, methyl chavicol and anisaldehyde, coumarins, scopoleting, umbelliferon, estrols, terpene hydrocarbons, and polyacetylenes as the major compounds. The plant oil has both pharmacological and clinical effects. The pharmacological effects consist of antimicrobial, hepatopreotective, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, bronchodilator, estrogenic, expectorant, and insecticidal effects, and clinical effects such as nausea, constipation, menopausal period, virus, diabetes, obesity, and sedative action.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Wenli Sun

Dr. Wenli Sun is an assistant researcher working on related topics of allelopathic characteristics of medicinal plants, especially traditional Asian herbs, fruits and crops. She is also working on topics related to sustainable agriculture and farming. Her full profile is available in http://orcide.org/0000-0002-1705-2996

Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian

Dr. Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian is a senior researcher of Agronomy and Biotechnology. His full profile is available in https://orcide.org/0000-0002-8638-1312

Qi Cheng

Prof. Dr. Qi Cheng, is a professor of biotechnology and his researches have connected with agrobiotechnology and agrotechnology. His full profile is available in http://orcide.org.0000-0003-1269-6386. All these scholars are researchers in Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Qi Institute, Building C4, No. 555 Chuangye Road, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang, China (Corresponding author).