Difference between revisions of "Illicium anisatum"

Latest revision as of 11:28, 7 July 2010

The Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum) is a tree similar to Chinese star anise. It is highly toxic, therefore it is not edible; instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan, where it is known as shikimi (樒^?). Cases of illness, including "serious neurological effects, such as seizures", reported after using star anise tea may be a result of using this species.

I. anisatum is native to Japan. It is similar to I. verum, but its fruit is smaller and with weaker odor, which is said to be more similar to cardamom than to anise. While it is poisonous and therefore unsuitable for using internally, it is used for treatment of some skin problems in traditional Chinese medicine.

Japanese star anise contains anisatin, shikimin and sikimitoxin, which cause severe inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract and digestive organs. Other compounds present in toxic species of Illicium are safrole and eugenol, which are not present in I. verum and are used to identify its adulteration.

Anisatin and its derivates are suspected of acting as strong GABA antagonists.

It is impossible to recognize Chinese and Japanese star anise in its dried or processed form by its appearance only, due to morphological similarities between the species.

There are cases of product recalls when products containing star anise were found to be contaminated by Japanese anise^{[citation needed]}. Cases of consumers admitted to hospital with neurological symptoms after ingesting excessive doses of star anise or smaller doses of products adulterated with Japanese anise were described as well^{[citation needed]}.

Nomenclature and taxonomy

Toxicology

See also

• Illicium floridanum
• Star anise

External links

• FDA Issues Advisory on Star Anise "Teas"
• Neurotoxicities in infants seen with the consumption of star anise teade:Japanischer Sternanis

et:Jaapani tähtaniisipuu es:Illicium anisatum fr:Badiane japonaise ko:붓순나무 io:Badiano hu:Japán csillagánizs ja:シキミ no:Japansk stjerneanis pl:Badian japoński fi:Japanintähtianis sv:Japansk stjärnanis tr:Japon anasonu vi:Hồi Nhật Bản