Anise Seed Extract (Pimpinella anisum) 2 fl oz: HH

Anise is cultivated chiefly for its fruits, called aniseed, the flavor of which resembles licorice. Aniseed is widely used to flavor pastries; it is the characteristic ingredient of the popular German bread called Anisbrod. In the Mediterranean region and in Asia, aniseed is commonly used in meat and vegetable dishes. It makes a soothing herbal tea and has been used medicinally from prehistoric times. The essential oil content is about 2.5 percent, and its principal component is anethole. As Grieve puts it, Anise Seed tea is 'Carminative and pectoral. Anise enjoys considerable reputation as a medicine in coughs and pectoral affections. In hard, dry coughs where expectoration is difficult, it is of much value.' The essential oil is used to flavor absinthe, anisette, ouzo, raki and pernod liqueurs. The 1997 Commission E on Phytotherapy and Herbal Substances of the German Federal Institute for Drugs recommends Anise for 'Internal: Dyspeptic complaints. Internal and external use: Catarrhs of the respiratory tract.' 'Side Effects: Occasional allergic reactions of skin, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract.' 'Dosage: Internal: Average daily dosage: 3 g of drug; Essential oil 0.3 g; equivalent preparations. External: Preparations containing 5 - 10 percent essential oil. Mode of Administration: Comminuted drug for infusions and other galenical preparations for internal use or for inhalation. Note: The purpose of an external application of an anise preparation is the inhalation of essential oil. Actions: Expectorant; Mildly antispasmodic; Antibacterial.' Grieve's cllassic 'A Modern Herbal': 'Anise fruit yields on distillation from 2.5 to 3.5 per cent. of a fragrant, syrupy, volatile oil, of which anethol, present to about 90 per cent., is the principal aromatic constituent. It has a strong Anise odour and separates in the form of shining white crystalline scales on cooling the oil. Other constituents of the fruit are a fixed oil, choline, sugar and mucilage.' 'Oil of Anise, distilled in Europe from the fruits of Pimpinella anisum, Anise, and in China from the fruits of Illicium anisatum, Star Anise, a small tree indigenous to China, is colourless, or very pale yellow, with taste and odour like the fruit.' 'The oils obtainable from these two fruits are identical in composition, and nearly the same in most of their characters, but that from Star Anise fruit congeals at a lower temperature. The powdered drug from Star Anise is administered in India as a substitute for the official fruit, and the oil is employed for its aromatic, carminative and stimulant properties. The bulk of the oil in commerce is obtained from the Star Anise fruit in China. The fruits are also often imported into France and the oil extracted there. Chinese Anise oil is harsh in taste.' 'Medicinal Action and Uses: Carminative and pectoral. Anise enjoys considerable reputation as a medicine in coughs and pectoral affections. In hard, dry cough