Poisoning anise

The seeds contain some volatile oil, resin and a large amount of fixed oil (Meisner, 1818). The fruit (without the seeds) contains volatile oil, resin, fat, tannin, pectin and mucilage. The volatile oil (oil of star-anise) amounts to about 4-5% and is almost identical with oil of anise (from P. anisum, LinnS). Star-anise oil from Chinese fruit has a specific gravity at 15°C (59°F) of 0.980-0.990 and its known constituents are anethol, phel-landrene, safrol and hydro-quinone-ethyl-ether (Fliickiger, 1879). Poisonous sikimin has been detected in the fruit (Eykmann, 1881), while Schlegel (1885) found a crystalline principle of a pronounced odour of musk. He also found saponin in the watery extract. 

The closely related Japanese star anise, I. anisatum, is highly toxic. It contains a poisonous sesquiterpene lactone, called ani-satin, and also shikimin and sikimitoxin, which causes severe inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract and digestive organs, as well as affecting the nervous system (Lederer et al., 2006). Other compounds present in this toxic species of Illicium are saffole and eugenol, which are not present in I. verum and are used to identify its adulteration. 

Gil Campos M, Perez Navero JL, Ibarra De La Rosa I. Crisis convulsiva secundaria a intoxicacion por anis estrel-lado en un lactante. [Convulsive status secondary to star anise poisoning in a neonate.] An Esp Pediatr 2002 57(4) 366-8. 

Minodier P, Pommier P, Moulene E, Retornaz K, Prost N, Deharo L. Intoxication aigue par la badiane chez le nour-risson. [Star anise poisoning in infants.] Arch Pediatr 2003 10(7) 619-21. 

The oil distilled from the leaves and poisonous fruit of Illimum religiosum, Sieb., the Japanese star anise, was found by Eykman Rec. Trav. Chim. 4, 32-54 via /. Chem. Soc. 1886, A. i, 95) to contain a terpene termed shikimene, eugenol and "shikimol, now known as safrole. 

Poisoning may occur through ingestion. Unintentional ingestion can occur from coniine when similar plants are mistaken for parsley, anise (seeds), or carrot plant. It is tuberous, similar to turnip roots. 

Minodier, P., Pommier, P., Moulene, E., Retomaz, K., Prost, N., and Deharo, L. 2003. Star anise poisoning in infants, French. Arch. Pediatr. 10, 619-621. 

Illicium religiosum, I. anisatum. Highly toxic Japanese variant of the safe plant, Chinese star anise (/. verum). All parts of the plant, particularly the seeds, are poisonous, causing vomiting and epileptiform convulsions of the type caused by picrotoxin, with dilated pupil and cyanosis. Kills by effects on respiratory and cardiovascular centres in medulla. Regarded as a sacred plant and found growing around Buddhist temples and graveyards. 

Coniine persists in the meat and milk of animals that feed on poison hemlock (Frank and Reed 1990). Humans can be exposed through the food chain. For example, an individual was documented as suffering from acute renal failure after consuming wildfowl that had eaten hemlock (Scatizzi et al. 1993). Humans have also been poisoned after mistaking poison hemlock for other members of the Umbelliferae - the root for parsnip Pastinaca sativa), the leaves for parsley Petroselinum crispum) and the seeds for anise (Pimpinella anisum) (Lopez etal. 1999). 

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