Phytochemistry and Ethanopharmacology of Illicium verum (Staranise)

Illicium verum, as a spice and pharmaceutical treatment of many harmful diseases, has been widely used in most Asian countries. The Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China considered it as both food and medicine due to its non-toxicity towards human health. In the present study, the review focuses mainly on food and medical applications of I. verum. The fruits are commonly used as an ingredient of the traditional “five-spice” powder of Chinese cooking, and the essential oil of I. verum can be used as flavoring. The extraction from I. verum has carminative, stomachic, stimulant, and diuretic properties, and is used as a pharmaceutical supplement. Shikimic acid extracted from I. verum is one of the main ingredients in the antiviral drug Tamiflu, which is used to fight avian influenza. It has also been reported to possess antimicrobial and antioxidative properties as well as significant anticancer potential. This review presents a detailed compilation of the literature on phytochemicals and pharmacological properties of Illicium verum.