Illicium anisatum fruits

Plant parts Fruits. Can be mixed up with the toxic fruits of Illicium anisatum L. (shikimi fruits), which do, however, not smell like anise but camphorous and bitter. 

We have been interested in the toxic constituents of Illicium plants (Illiciaceae), and have reported on the isolation and structural elucidation of a series of sesquiterpenes possessing unique framework from these plants in Japan and China [1], As a continuous work on the chemical studies on the Illicium plants, we investigated the constituents of the bark of non-toxic Illicium difengpi K. I. B. et K. I. M., which was used as antiarthritic agent in China, and those of the fresh fruits of toxic Illicium anisatum L.. This paper deals with the isolation and structural elucidation of five new phenylpropanoid glycosides from the above plants. 

The fruits of the Illicium species are distinctive star-shaped follicles which emit a characteristic refreshing flavor. The fruits of I. vernum Hook, in particular, are the source of the only economically important product derived from the genus Chinese star anise, which is widely used as a spice for flavoring food and beverages. Hence, essential oils have been the primary subject of chemical research on Illicium species and the presence of volatile phenols have been reported as constituents of various parts of all Illicium studied so far. On the other hand, the fruits of /. anisatum, Japanese star anise, have been known to be very toxic for several centuries. Many researchers had been involved in the attempt to isolate the toxic substance since the middle of the 19th century. In 1952, Lane et al. succeeded in the isolation of the 0 pure toxic principle named anisatin (1) [4]... 

Abstract—Two glycerol phenylpropanoid glucosides 1, 2 and a glycoside of 2-hydroxyphenylpropanoid 3 were isolated from the barks of Illicium difengpi K. I. B. et K. I. M. (Illiciaceae). Compounds 4 and S, the analogous compounds of 3, were obtained from the fresh fruits of 1. anisatum L.. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence. ... 

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