Culinary uses
Star anise contains anethole, the same ingredient that gives the
unrelated anise its flavor. Recently, star anise has come into use
in the West as a less expensive substitute for anise in baking as
well as in liquor production, most distinctively in the production
of the liquor Galliano. It is also used in the production of
sambuca, pastis, and many types of absinthe. Star anise enhances
the flavour of meat.It is used as a spice in preparation of biryani
and masala chai all over the Indian subcontinent. It is widely used
in Chinese cuisine, and in Indian cuisine where it is a major
component of garam masala, and in Malay and Indonesian cuisines. It
is widely grown for commercial use in China, India, and most other
countries in Asia. Star anise is an ingredient of the traditional
five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. It is also a major ingredient
in the making of ph, a Vietnamese noodle soup.
Medicinal uses
Star anise has been used in a tea as a traditional remedy for
rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid
digestion. As a warm and moving herb, star anise is used to assist
in relieving cold-stagnation in the middle jiao, according to
traditional Chinese medicine.
Star anise is the major source of the chemical compound shikimic
acid, a primary precursor in the pharmaceutical synthesis of
anti-influenza drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Shikimic acid is
produced by most autotrophic organisms, and whilst it can be
obtained in commercial quantities from elsewhere, star anise
remains the usual industrial source. In 2005, a temporary shortage
of star anise was causedby its use in the production of Tamiflu.
Later that year, a method for the production of shikimic acid using
bacteria was discovered. Roche now derives some of the raw material
it needs from the fermentation of E. coli bacteria. The 2009 swine
flu outbreak led to another series of shortages as stocks of
Tamiflu were built up around the world, sending prices soaring.
Star anise is grown in four provinces in China and harvested
between March and May. It is also found in the south of New South
Wales. The shikimic acid is extracted from the seeds in a 10-stage
manufacturing process which takes a year.
Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), a similar tree, is highly
toxic and inedible; in Japan, it has instead been burned as
incense. Cases of illness, including "serious neurological effects,
such as seizures", reported after using star anise tea, may be a
result of using this species. Japanese star anise contains
anisatin, which causes severe inflammation of the kidneys, urinary
tract, and digestive organs. The toxicity of I. anisatum, also
known as shikimi, is caused by its containing potent neurotoxins
(anisatin, neoanisatin, and pseudoanisatin), due to their activity
as noncompetitive antagonists of GABA receptors.