Anise

Pimpinella anisum · Aniseed

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints¹ Cough with a cold¹ Irritable bowel syndrome² Constipation in combination³ Menopausal psychological symptoms⁴	Apiaceae or anethole allergy¹ Aniseed allergy^{5, 6}

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is the aromatic fruit of an Apiaceae plant, used as a whole seed, tea, extract, and essential oil.¹ Supplementation centers on gastrointestinal spasm, bloating, and flatulence, and on expectoration in cough with a cold; the European Medicines Agency (EMA) herbal monograph classes both as traditional use¹. It is also taken for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, and menopausal mood symptoms, where trials are few.¹

In a 2016 double-blind trial of IBS, enteric-coated anise oil left more patients symptom-free than placebo or peppermint oil. A crossover trial of a four-herb compound containing anise shortened colonic transit in chronic constipation, though anise's own contribution is not separable. Products listing anise number 414 in the Dietary Supplement Label Database, mostly liquid extracts with some powders and capsules; see Form comparison.

The main caution is allergic: anise shares allergens with birch and mugwort pollen and with other Apiaceae spices⁷, and IgE-mediated occupational asthma and tongue angioedema have been reported. Per the EMA monograph, symptoms that persist or worsen during use warrant consulting a doctor or qualified health care practitioner¹.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

31 sources, 23 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources