Anise is believed to originate from the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. The plant is grown mainly in the Mediterranean areas and southern Europe, India and the Middle East. Imports of the drug come from Spain, Egypt and Turkey.
Anise: what is used as a medicine?
The ripe, dried fruits of the plant (Anisi fructus), as well as the essential oil from the ripe fruits (Anisi aetheroleum) are used as the drug.
Characteristics of the anise plant
Anise is an annual plant growing up to 50 cm high with variable looking leaves. Mostly the leaves are roundish and undivided near the ground and increasingly strongly slit towards the top. The stems are very fine, many small white flowers are in 7-15-rayed double umbels. The fruits are gray-green to gray-brown and about 2 mm in size.
Anise or star anise?
Anise is often confused with star anise. However, this fruit, also known as Chinese star anise, is derived from a different plant (Illicium verum). In the food and beverage industry, the expensive anise oil is often replaced by the less expensive star anise oil.
Anise: characteristics of the drug
The main component of the drug is the split fruits, which are often undivided even when ripe. These are gray-green to -brown, finely hairy and inverted pear-shaped. Anise exudes a very characteristic, spicy odor.
What does aniseed smell and taste like?
The taste of anise is very aromatic and sweet. The taste of star anise, on the other hand, is usually perceived as burning spicy.
