Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

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ANISE (AND STAR ANISE)

Source: Anise:Pimpinella anisumL. (syn.
Anisum vulgare Gaertn.; A. officinarum
Moench.) (Family Umbelliferae or Apia-
ceae); Chinese star anise:Illicium verum
Hook. f. (Family Illiciaceae).

Common/vernacular names:Anise seed, ani-
seed, sweet cumin (P. anisum); Chinese star
anise, illicium, and star anise (Illicium
verum).

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Anise is an annual herb, usually less than 0.6 m
high; leaves alternate, below, opposite above;
native to Greece and Egypt, now widely culti-
vated. Part used is the dried ripe fruit; anise oil
is obtained from it by steam distillation.
Chinese star anise is an evergreen tree
usually 4–6 m high but may reach 12 m; in-
digenous to southeastern Asia; extensively
cultivated in southern China, also in Vietnam,
India, Japan. Part used is the dried, ripe fruit
that consists of 5–13 (usually 8) seed-bearing
woody follicles (one seed per follicle) at-
tached to a central axis in the shape of a star,
and therefore, the name star anise. In Chinese,
the plant is also called “eight-horned anise” or
simply “eight horns,” referring to the usually
eight-follicled fruit. China is the major pro-
ducer of star anise. Chinese star anise oil is
obtained by steam distillation.
Due to the traditional use of anise oils with
licorice in licorice candy, the flavor of anise is

often confused with that of licorice, particu-

larly among the public, and is erroneously

described as licorice-like.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Anise contains 1–4% volatile oil (FURIA AND

BELLANCA);^1 coumarins (bergapten, umbelli-

prenine, umbelliferone, scopoletin);2,3lipids

(ca. 16%), including fatty acids (C 16 ,C 18 ,C 20 ,

C 22 ,C 24 ,C 26 ,C 30 , etc.),b-amyrin, and stig-

masterol and its salts (palmitate and stearate)

(MARSH);2,4flavonoid glycosides (quercetin-

3-glucuronide, rutin, luteolin-7-glucoside,

isoorientin, isovitexin, apigenin-7-glucoside

[apigetrin], etc.);^5 phenylpropanoid gluco-

sides;6–8myristicin;^9 protein (ca. 18%); car-

bohydrate (ca. 50%); and others (MARSH).

Anise oil contains trans-anethole

(75–90%), estragole (methylchavicol) (1%),

anise ketone (p-methoxyphenylacetone), and

b-caryophyllene. Other compounds in minor

concentrations include anisaldehyde, anisic

acid (oxidation products of anethole), linalool,

limonene,a-pinene, acetaldehyde,p-cresol,

creosol, hydroquinine,b-farnesene,g-hima-

chalene, neophytadiene, and ar-curcumene

(KARRER).1,10–12

Chinese star anise contains about 5% vola-

tile oil (ca. 10% in follicles and 2.5% in seeds)

(NANJING), phenylpropanoid glucosides,^13 lig-

nans,^14 catechins and proanthocyanidins,

among others.^15

Chinese star anise oil containstrans-anet-

hole (80–90%) as its major component. Other

constituents include estragole, 1,4-cineole,

36 Anise (and star anise)