Anise might lower blood sugar levels. Taking anise along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. You can use the same recipe with star anise and pretty much any other spiced tea. If you find it’s a little weak, add more—if it’s too strong, reduce the dose or reduce the infusion time. Lee JB, Yamagishi C, Hayashi K, Hayashi T. Antiviral and immunostimulating effects of lignin-carbohydrate-protein complexes from Pimpinella anisum. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2011;75(3):459-65. doi:10.1271/bbb.100645

In animal models and in vitro assays, a variety of potential mechanisms of action were examined to understand aniseed's and trans-anethole's purported anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetes, and anti-neurodegenerative effects. The number of potential mechanisms is many, and the involvement of specific biological processes in improving outcomes depends on the animal disease model under investigation. General examples of some of these actions include altering the tissue expression and circulating levels of cytokines and chemokines, as well as of enzyme catalysts and chemical inhibitors of oxidative stress. Administration of aniseed and its constituents can alter hormone homeostasis. Complex and dose-dependent effects on transcription factors and cell-signaling pathways that control numerous physiological processes also were reported. 5,81–84 Compared with animals, these processes in humans are generally unexplored. SAFETY Anise tea has ample benefits, such as increasing urine flow, stimulating appetite, increasing milk flow in nursing mothers, treating menstrual discomfort or pain, and easing childbirth. Let’s look at 12 anise tea benefits in detail. 1. Improves digestion Fennel tea contains antioxidants, which your body needs to fight the harmful things in your environment that you are regularly exposed to. When you drink fennel tea, the antioxidants will attach to molecules in your blood that are fighting oxidative damage. This lessens the load on your kidney and liver, helps new cell production, and even reduces the signs of aging. It can freshen your breathSome research suggests that regular consumption of anise could alleviate the symptoms of depression, especially postpartum depression. A double-blind randomised study conducted in 2015 looked at more than 100 patients with postpartum depression and gave half of these a daily dose of anise powder. ( 2) Samojlik I, Mijatovic V, Petkovic S, et al. The influence of essential oil of aniseed (Pimpinella anisum, L.) on drug effects on the central nervous system. Fitoterapia 2012;83:1466-73. View abstract. Some research has revealed that star anise extract is as effective as antibiotics against multiple drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. This may be particularly useful for future development of new antibiotic medications ( 11).

Abbreviations: CAT, catalase; FBG, fasting blood glucose; GSH, reduced glutathione; GST, glutathione-S-transferase; HDL, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL, serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; MDA, malondialdehyde; NE, no effect; QOL, quality of life; TC, serum total cholesterol; TG, serum triglycerides; wt, weight.

To provide evidence for potential health benefits of foods, ingredients, and plant constituents, data are gathered from a variety of scientific methods such as cell culture experiments, animal studies, and human clinical trials. Human studies are particularly important in determining public health recommendations, especially randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing well-characterized treatments and applying appropriate statistical analyses. With this in mind, a search of the PubMed and Science Direct databases was conducted using terms that included Pimpinella anisum, aniseed, anise, anisoon, and anethole. Full reports of English-language publications and English-language abstracts of foreign-language articles from peer-reviewed journals were the primary sources of information. Although the quality of identified studies varied considerably, all relevant, published investigations were included in this overview so that the totality and diversity of information can be described, and issues for future research can be identified. Additional information was gleaned from bibliographies within these sources. Studies of aniseed as a component within multi-ingredient preparations were not included in this overview. BIOAVAILABILITY Abbreviations: ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; BW, body weight; CA1, CA1 region of hippocampus; CA3, CA3 region of hippocampus; CCl 4, carbon tetrachloride; CYP, cytochrome P-450; E 2, estradiol; ERα, estrogen receptor-alpha; FBG, fasting blood glucose; FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; GABA, gamma aminobutyric acid; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GR, glutathione reductase; GSH, reduced glutathione; GST, glutathione-S-transferase; HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; i.g., intragastric; i.p., intraperitoneal; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LH, luteinizing hormone; LPO, lipid peroxides; MDA, malondialdehyde; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NE, no effect; NFBG, nonfasting blood glucose; NO, nitric oxide; PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome; PTZ, pentylenetetrazol; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acids; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SI, serum insulin; SOD, superoxide dismutase; TBARS, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; TC, total cholesterol; T, testosterone; TG, triglycerides; wt, weight. Currently, star anise is the primary source of shikimic acid used for pharmaceutical product development. As the influenza pandemic continues to mount as a threat to global health, the demand for star anise is on the rise ( 7). Mosavat SH, Jaberi AR, Sobhani Z, Mosaffa-Jahromi M, Iraji A, Moayedfard A. Efficacy of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) oil for migraine headache: A pilot randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019;236:155-160. View abstract.

Little is known about the bioavailability of aniseed and its constituents. Such data are important, because any potential uses of aniseed to improve health are impacted by how much is consumed and the ultimate amount and form of its individual bioactive components in target tissues. This information also helps in discerning any negative effects of aniseed constituents and their metabolites in various organs. In contrast to aniseed, the disposition of trans-anethole has been investigated. In rats, trans-anethole is rapidly absorbed and distributed. 14 In human volunteers (n = 5), trans-anethole (4-methoxy-propylbenzene) was randomly administered at doses of 1, 50, and 250 mg (0.01–5.0 mg/kg of body weight) with a 3-month interval between dosing. 15 These doses represent a range of trans-anethole exposure from amounts from dietary intake (50 mg) to those levels (250 mg) consumed in several aniseed-containing drinks. The bulk of the metabolites was detected in the urine within 8 hours, and the main metabolites were 4-methoxy-hippuric acid and 4-methoxybenzoic acid. The dose administered did not affect rate or route of elimination, in contrast to that observed in animals. Similar results were observed in an extremely small human study (n = 2) in which 1-mg trans-anethole was given. 16 In another small pilot study, serum levels of trans-anethole were determined in 1 volunteer provided anethole in ouzo at doses of 56.0, 93.4, and 168.1 mg separated by 7-day intervals. 17 Within a 2-hour peak, serum levels of trans-anethole were 15.5, 25.7, and 73 ng/mL, respectively. When breastfeeding women were administered 100-mg trans-anethole, this chemical appeared in the milk at concentrations of 4.3 to 9.9 μg/L. 18 Clearly, additional characterization of the systemic disposition of aniseed, as well as its extracts and major constituents, is needed after ingestion in foods and beverages. HUMAN STUDIESIt’s often utilized in classical Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, especially as a flavor enhancer in broths, soups and curries. Anise Tea And Ginger – The last one is a personal favorite of mine because I think Ginger pairs well with just about any herbal infusion or regular tea for that matter. It brings its unique peppery spicy flavor to the anise tea and really changes the complexion of the herbal infusion. It’s fantastic in a recommended way to give it a try. What Is Anise Seed Tea? Anise Seed Tea Is an herbal infusion derived from aniseed. the seeds come from a plant in the Apiaceae family that is found in the Mediterranean and Southwest Asia. It has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties. Though star anise is frequently used for treating influenza, more research is needed to further understand its potential to treat other viral infections in humans. Antifungal Properties