6 Health Benefits of Star Anise

 

For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine has utilized star anise as a spice. Strong bioactive ingredients in it may aid in the treatment of bacterial, viral, and fungal illnesses.

It has a flavor evocative of licorice and is named after the star-shaped pods from which the spice seeds are extracted.

Star anise is well-known for its unique flavor and culinary uses, as well as for its therapeutic properties.

Illicium verum, the scientific name for star anise, is a tiny, medium-sized, evergreen tree in the Illiciaceae family of plants. Star anise (Illicium verum), Japanese anise (Illicium anisatum), Mexican anise (Illicium mexicanum), and star aniseed (Illicium anisatum) are the most widely distributed species in the Illicium genus.

 It is produced in tropical regions of Southeast and East Asia, with 166 cultivars and 42 species. Their physical characteristics, chemical makeup, and habitats are all different. 

This article examines star anise's benefits, applications, and potential risks.

1-Antiviral Properties:

The amount of shikimic acid in star anise is one of its most well-liked pharmacologically significant characteristics.

One molecule with potent antiviral properties is shikimic acid. Tamiflu, a well-known drug for treating influenza, contains it as one of its primary active components.

At the moment, the main source of shikimic acid utilized in the creation of pharmaceutical products is star anise. The need for star anise is growing as the influenza pandemic poses an increasing threat to world health.

Herpes simplex type 1 and other viral diseases may be treated with star anise essential oil, according to several test-tube studies.

2-Antifungal Properties:

An excellent source of the flavonoid anethole is star anise. This ingredient gives the spice its unique flavor and has strong antifungal properties.

According to certain agricultural studies, trans-anethole made from star anise may prevent pathogenic fungi from growing in several food crops.

Other bioactive substances in star anise essential oil, such as the terpene linalool, have been shown in test tubes to potentially inhibit the development of infectious fungal biofilms and human cell walls.

To fully comprehend the potential uses of star anise in treating fungus-related human infections, more investigation is required.

3-Benefits of Antibacterial:

The ability of star anise to suppress bacterial growth, which is linked to many common ailments, is another significant medical benefit.

According to certain studies, star anise extract works just as well against a variety of drug-resistant harmful bacteria as antibiotics. This could be very helpful in the future for developing novel antibacterial drugs.

Studies conducted in test tubes have also demonstrated that the bioactive components in star anise may be useful in the treatment of urinary tract infections brought on by certain bacteria.

Star anise extract was found to be slightly successful in suppressing the development of E. coli on a petri dish in a different study, yet it wasn't as effective as other widely used antibiotic treatments at the moment.

4-Antioxidant-rich:

 Star anise has a high concentration of antioxidants that can help shield the body from damage caused by dangerous free radicals. This may lessen the chance of developing long-term conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

5-Possible Uses for Star Anise for Cancer:

The human body has several natural defense mechanisms against free radicals, and consuming star anise may provide additional advantages that may help prevent cancer. Star anise may have anti-cancer qualities, which could be beneficial for conditions like cancer that are caused by free radicals and smoking. It might impact damaged DNA which the cause of cancer and the growth of cancer cells. To support such allegations, more investigation will be necessary. Furthermore, cancer is a serious medical problem, and you should seek the diagnosis and treatment of a trained physician.

6-Respiratory Health:

 Star anise has been used to treat respiratory infections, including bronchitis (or asthma) and coughs. It may assist in releasing mucus in the respiratory tract and facilitate coughing because it is thought to have expectorant qualities.

Potential Risks:

It's generally accepted that pure Chinese star anise is harmless for most people. There haven't been many reports of allergic responses, though.

A closer relative of the Chinese spice that poses a greater risk to the general public is the extremely poisonous Japanese star anise.

Strong neurotoxins found in Japanese star anise have been linked to severe physical side effects such as nausea, hallucinations, and seizures.

The appearance of Japanese and Chinese star anise is nearly identical, and it has been observed that some commercially available sources of Chinese star anise are combined with Japanese spice.

Furthermore, there have been case reports of infants experiencing severe, possibly fatal responses to star anise.