Anise (Aniseed)
Also called aniseed, Pimpinella anisum, anise seed, anise oil, green anise.
Best grade C across 7 graded outcomes Botanical Last checked
The short answer
From 14 sourcesAniseed is a traditional remedy for bloating and coughs with colds. Two small trials reported large benefits for functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome, but neither has been independently replicated and the dyspepsia report contains an obvious error. EU regulators advise against use in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and anise oil is contraindicated under 18.
Every graded outcome on this page
7 rows · line = participants- CGrade CPumped breast-milk volume in mothers of preterm infantsBreast milk supplyn 129
- CGrade CIBS symptoms (freedom from symptoms) vs placebo and peppermint oilIBSn 120
- CGrade CMild to moderate depression scores in people with IBSDepression symptoms in IBSn 120
- CGrade CFunctional dyspepsia (postprandial distress) severityFunctional dyspepsian 107
- CGrade CFunctional dyspepsia global symptoms (Cochrane review)Functional dyspepsian 107
- DGrade DMenopausal hot flash frequency and severityMenopause symptomsn 72
- DGrade DDepression, anxiety and stress scores (DASS-21) and menopausal symptom index in menopausal womenMenopause symptomsn 60
- 4 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter
Key facts
- What it is
- The dried fruit (seed) of Pimpinella anisum; its oil is rich in anethole and also contains estragole126
- Top studied outcome
- Functional dyspepsia symptoms: large improvement vs placebo in one 107-patient trial (grade C)3
- Traditional uses (EU)
- Mild spasmodic digestive complaints including bloating and flatulence, and as an expectorant for cough with a cold12
- Overdose
- Swallowing 1 to 5 ml of anise oil has been linked to nausea, vomiting, seizures and fluid in the lungs2
What it is
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an Apiaceae herb whose seeds and oil flavour food; it is a different plant from star anise.
Forms, side by side
3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.
Anise (Aniseed) forms compared
3 forms| 3 forms | Aniseed tea (infusion) | Ground aniseed powder | Anise oil (capsules or drops) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption in people | No human absorption data in our sources.1 | No human absorption data in our sources.3 | Trans-anethole was detected in breast milk after a single 100 mg dose (LactMed).6 |
| GI tolerance | Allergic skin or breathing reactions can occur; frequency unknown.1 | No adverse events are reported in the dyspepsia abstract.3 | Adults only in the EU; overdose of 1 to 5 ml has caused vomiting and seizures.2 |
| Studied for | EU traditional use: 1 to 3.5 g of seed in 150 ml boiling water, three times daily, age 12 and up, up to 2 weeks | Functional dyspepsia (9 g/day) | IBS (enteric-coated capsules, one trial); EU traditional dose 50 to 200 microlitres three times daily |
- Aniseed tea (infusion)
- Ground aniseed powder
- Anise oil (capsules or drops)
- Absorption in people
- Trans-anethole was detected in breast milk after a single 100 mg dose (LactMed).6
- GI tolerance
- Adults only in the EU; overdose of 1 to 5 ml has caused vomiting and seizures.2
- Studied for
- IBS (enteric-coated capsules, one trial); EU traditional dose 50 to 200 microlitres three times daily
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
Trial map
7 graded outcomes, largest study firstAll 7 graded outcomes found an improvement. The largest, a 2023 randomized trial of 129 people on pumped breast-milk volume in mothers of preterm infants, found an improvement.
1Pumped breast-milk volume in mothers of preterm infants
Improved · Grade C · RCT, 129 people, 2023
Mothers of preterm infants in hospital, pumping milk for tube feeding (45 anise, 45 black-tea placebo, 39 no-tea control analysed)
Dose, result and source| Outcome | Found | People | Study | Who was studied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumped breast-milk volume in mothers of preterm infants | Improved | 129 | Grade C · RCT, 2023 | Mothers of preterm infants in hospital, pumping milk for tube feeding (45 anise, 45 black-tea placebo, 39 no-tea control analysed) |
| Mild to moderate depression scores in people with IBS | Improved | 120 | Grade C · RCT, 2017 | Adults with IBS and mild to moderate depression on the Beck Depression Inventory-II, three equal arms |
| IBS symptoms (freedom from symptoms) vs placebo and peppermint oil | Improved | 120 | Grade C · RCT, 2016 | Adults with irritable bowel syndrome, three arms of about 40 |
| Functional dyspepsia global symptoms (Cochrane review) | Improved | 107 | Grade C · Systematic review, 2023 | Adults with functional dyspepsia; the review covered 41 trials of 27 herbal medicines (4477 people), one of them on anise |
| Functional dyspepsia (postprandial distress) severity | Improved | 107 | Grade C · RCT, 2015 | Adults aged 18 to 65 with postprandial distress syndrome (Rome III) |
| Menopausal hot flash frequency and severity | Improved | 72 | Grade D · RCT, 2012 | Postmenopausal women with hot flashes attending health centres in Qazvin, Iran |
| Depression, anxiety and stress scores (DASS-21) and menopausal symptom index in menopausal women | Improved | 60 | Grade D · RCT, 2026 | Menopausal women with psychological symptoms (India) |
Every graded row
7 rowsShowing 7 of 7 outcomes. Human trials only.
CGrade CPumped breast-milk volume in mothers of preterm infantsBreast milk supplyImprovedRCT
n 129 · 2023
Improved Pumped milk volume was higher with anise tea than placebo and no-tea control on days 3 to 7 (and higher than control on day 1); infant weight did not differ on days 0, 3 or 7.
- Design
- RCT, n = 129, 2023
- Population
- Mothers of preterm infants in hospital, pumping milk for tube feeding (45 anise, 45 black-tea placebo, 39 no-tea control analysed)
- Form
- Anise tea (2 g dried anise plus 1 g black tea per bag)
- Dose
- One tea bag in 150 ml boiling water, three times daily (6 g anise a day)
- Duration
- 7 days
- Source
- Reference 10 · PubMed 36681821 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CIBS symptoms (freedom from symptoms) vs placebo and peppermint oilIBSImprovedRCT
n 120 · 2016
Improved 75% on anise oil were free of IBS symptoms vs 35% on placebo and 52.5% on peppermint oil (P < 0.001; NNT 4). Anise oil also beat both comparators on pain, bloating, bowel habit and quality of life.
- Design
- RCT, n = 120, 2016
- Population
- Adults with irritable bowel syndrome, three arms of about 40
- Form
- Enteric-coated anise oil capsules (AnisEncap) vs placebo vs Colpermin peppermint oil
- Dose
- 3 capsules a day (strength not stated in the abstract)
- Duration
- 4 weeks, plus 2 weeks follow-up
- Source
- Reference 4 · PubMed 27815079 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CMild to moderate depression scores in people with IBSDepression symptoms in IBSImprovedRCT
n 120 · 2017
Improved Anise oil lowered depression scores more than both peppermint oil and placebo at week 4 and week 6; the abstract gives no effect sizes.
- Design
- RCT, n = 120, 2017
- Population
- Adults with IBS and mild to moderate depression on the Beck Depression Inventory-II, three equal arms
- Form
- Anise oil vs Colpermin peppermint oil vs placebo
- Dose
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- 4 weeks, follow-up at week 6
- Source
- Reference 13 · PubMed 26873392 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CFunctional dyspepsia (postprandial distress) severityFunctional dyspepsiaImprovedRCT
n 107 · 2015
Improved Symptom scores fell from 10.6 to 2.44 at week 4 on anise vs a rise from 10.96 to 13.05 on placebo (P = 0.0001), with the gap persisting at week 12.
- Design
- RCT, n = 107, 2015
- Population
- Adults aged 18 to 65 with postprandial distress syndrome (Rome III)
- Form
- Anise powder vs cornstarch placebo
- Dose
- 3 g after each meal, three times daily (9 g/day)
- Duration
- 4 weeks, follow-up to week 12
- Source
- Reference 3 · PubMed 25767516 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CFunctional dyspepsia global symptoms (Cochrane review)Functional dyspepsiaImprovedSystematic review
n 107 · 2023
Improved Anise improved dyspepsia symptoms vs placebo (SMD -2.30, 95% CI -2.79 to -1.80; 1 study, 107 participants), rated low-certainty evidence.
- Design
- Systematic review, n = 107, 2023
- Population
- Adults with functional dyspepsia; the review covered 41 trials of 27 herbal medicines (4477 people), one of them on anise
- Form
- Pimpinella anisum (the single included anise trial)
- Dose
- As in the included trial
- Duration
- As in the included trial
- Source
- Reference 9 · PubMed 37323050 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DMenopausal hot flash frequency and severityMenopause symptomsImprovedRCT
n 72 · 2012
Improved On anise, the hot flash frequency measure fell from 4.21 to 1.06 and severity from 56.21 to 14.44 by week 4, and stayed lower during follow-up; neither changed on placebo.
- Design
- RCT, n = 72, 2012
- Population
- Postmenopausal women with hot flashes attending health centres in Qazvin, Iran
- Form
- Anise capsules vs potato-starch placebo
- Dose
- 330 mg three times daily (990 mg/day)
- Duration
- 4 weeks, plus 4 weeks follow-up
- Source
- Reference 11 · PubMed 24250540 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DDepression, anxiety and stress scores (DASS-21) and menopausal symptom index in menopausal womenMenopause symptomsImprovedRCT
n 60 · 2026
Improved DASS-21 scores fell more on anise than placebo at 8 weeks (p < 0.0001), and the Modified Kupperman Index and Vaginal Health Index also improved; no adverse effects were seen.
- Design
- RCT, n = 60, 2026
- Population
- Menopausal women with psychological symptoms (India)
- Form
- Anise vs matched placebo
- Dose
- 4 g a day in two divided doses
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Source
- Reference 12 · PubMed 42152642 (opens PubMed)
What the numbers add up to
Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.
Studied doses
Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.
Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.
Doses studied in human trials
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 330 mg anise capsules three times daily (990 mg a day) for menopausal hot flashes, through 4 g a day for 8 weeks in menopause and anise tea with 6 g a day for 7 days in breastfeeding mothers, to 9 g of powder a day for 4 weeks in functional dyspepsia. The IBS trial used three anise oil capsules a day of unstated strength.34101112
When trials measured an effect
4 outcomes| Outcome | Measured at | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Functional dyspepsia symptoms | Week 4 (end of treatment); still lower at week 12 | One 107-person placebo-controlled trial3 |
| IBS symptoms | Week 4 (end of treatment), held at the week-6 follow-up | One 120-person three-arm trial4 |
| Pumped breast-milk volume | Day 3 onward vs placebo tea (day 1 vs no tea) | One 129-mother trial10 |
| Hot flash frequency and severity | Week 4 (end of treatment) | One 72-woman placebo-controlled trial11 |
Interactions and safety
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
What Anise meets
2 cited rowsMedicines 2
Supplements and foods 0
No supplement rows in our sources.
- Reference summary
Choose a medicine or supplement above to read its cited rows here.
Also cited:
Estrogen-containing medicines
ReviewReference summary
Estrogen-containing medicines, for example birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy: A 2014 review says compounds in anise (Pimpinella anisum) taken alongside estrogens may change the final effect of the hormone medicine.
Source 8, Adv Clin Exp Med (2014)
Warfarin and other blood thinners
ReviewReference summary
Warfarin and other blood thinners, for example warfarin: A 2000 pharmacy review lists anise among herbs that may raise bleeding risk or add to warfarin's effect. It notes that nearly all herb-warfarin information comes from lab, animal or single case data.
Source 7, Am J Health Syst Pharm (2000)
Interactions
2 agents| Agent | What the source says | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines2 | ||
| Warfarin and other blood thinnerse.g. warfarin | A 2000 pharmacy review lists anise among herbs that may raise bleeding risk or add to warfarin's effect. It notes that nearly all herb-warfarin information comes from lab, animal or single case data.7 | Review |
| Estrogen-containing medicinese.g. birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy | A 2014 review says compounds in anise (Pimpinella anisum) taken alongside estrogens may change the final effect of the hormone medicine.8 | Review |
Check with what you take
Kept on this device onlyAdd what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Anise and your picks, and between your picks.
- Loading names…
Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Anise.
Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.
Who should be careful
4 groups- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Safety has not been established and EU regulators do not recommend aniseed or anise oil. LactMed notes trans-anethole reaches breast milk, and heavy maternal use of a mixed herbal tea containing anise appeared to cause toxicity in two breastfed newborns.126
- Children and teenagers
- Aniseed tea is not recommended under 12 (no adequate safety data), and anise oil is contraindicated under 18 because of limited data and its estragole content.12
Safety
5 notesLow risk as a short-term tea for adults; the oil needs more care.
- Oil overdose
- Ingesting 1 to 5 ml of anise oil has been associated with nausea, vomiting, seizures and pulmonary oedema.2
- Estragole
- Estragole in anise oil caused liver tumours in mice; EU regulators consider short-term adult use negligible next to dietary exposure.2
- Liver enzymes
- LactMed reports raised liver enzymes in a woman drinking a commercial nursing tea that contains anise.6
How to read the label
What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.
How to read the label
2 checksFrequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.
Common questions
7 answersDoes anise help indigestion?
Does anise oil help IBS?
A 120-patient trial reported that enteric-coated anise oil capsules beat both placebo and peppermint oil after 4 weeks. It is a single trial without independent replication.4
Is anise tea a proven way to increase breast milk?
Not proven. One 2023 trial in 129 mothers of preterm babies found more pumped milk on anise tea over 7 days, with no difference in infant weight. A meta-analysis summarised by LactMed rates the evidence for day-7 milk volume as low certainty, and EU regulators do not recommend anise while breastfeeding.1061
What are the side effects of anise?
Is anise oil safe for children?
Can I use anise while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Is anise the same as star anise?
No. Anise (aniseed) is the seed of Pimpinella anisum, a herb in the Apiaceae (carrot and fennel) family. Star anise is the star-shaped fruit of a different plant. The trials and safety advice on this page apply to Pimpinella anisum only.1
Sources
14 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited on this page
14 sources- 1Community herbal monograph on Pimpinella anisum L., fructus (EMA/HMPC/321184/2012)Guideline European Medicines Agency (HMPC), 2014 · ema.europa.eu
- 2Community herbal monograph on Pimpinella anisum L., aetheroleum (EMA/HMPC/321185/2012)Guideline European Medicines Agency (HMPC), 2014 · ema.europa.eu
- 3Pimpinella anisum in the treatment of functional dyspepsia: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial.RCT J Res Med Sci, 2015 · PMID 25767516
- 4Efficacy and safety of enteric coated capsules of anise oil to treat irritable bowel syndrome.RCT J Ethnopharmacol, 2016 · PMID 27815079
- 5Pimpinella anisum in modifying the quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.RCT J Res Med Sci, 2014 · PMID 25709650
- 6Anise. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed).Database NICHD, 2026 · PMID 30000835
- 7Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin.Review Am J Health Syst Pharm, 2000 · PMID 10902065
- 8Interactions between preparations containing female sex hormones and dietary supplements.Review Adv Clin Exp Med, 2014 · PMID 25166453
- 9Non-Chinese herbal medicines for functional dyspepsia.Systematic review Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2023 · PMID 37323050
- 10The effect of Pimpinella Anisum herbal tea on human milk volume and weight gain in the preterm infant: a randomized controlled clinical trial.RCT BMC Complement Med Ther, 2023 · PMID 36681821
- 11The Study on the Effects of Pimpinella anisum on Relief and Recurrence of Menopausal Hot Flashes.RCT Iran J Pharm Res, 2012 · PMID 24250540
- 12Efficacy of Pimpinella anisum L. in Menopausal Women with Psychological Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Study Integrated with Machine Learning Analysis.RCT Curr Pharm Des, 2026 · PMID 42152642
- 13Effectiveness of Anise Oil for Treatment of Mild to Moderate Depression in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Active and Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.RCT J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med, 2017 · PMID 26873392
- 14Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Plant-Based Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Meta-analysis Phytother Res, 2026 · PMID 42572206
What changed
Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.
Change log
4 entries| Date | Change | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| evidence; studied doses; time to effect; FAQ; questions; related | Added the 2023 Cochrane review of non-Chinese herbal medicines for functional dyspepsia (anise rated low certainty, 1 trial), a 2023 trial of anise tea and pumped breast-milk volume in mothers of preterm infants, a 2012 hot flash trial and a 2026 menopause mood trial, and the companion report on depression scores from the anise oil IBS trial; noted the 2026 IBS meta-analysis that found too few anise trials to pool. Widened studied doses, added time-to-effect rows, two FAQ (breast milk, star anise), questions this page answers and the gut goal hub link. Interactions re-checked: LactMed lists none and LiverTox has no anise entry (offline NCBI archive searched); MedlinePlus has no anise page. A 2019 migraine pilot trial (PMID 30853645) was left out because its PubMed abstract contains no results. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md |
| Interactions | Added 2 interaction entries (Warfarin and other blood thinners; Estrogen-containing medicines) from peer-reviewed reviews; each PubMed abstract or full text was read for the cited statement. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: Update |
| all | Initial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year) and each cited abstract read; numbers taken from the abstracts. No retractions or errata linked to the cited PMIDs; the 2015 dyspepsia abstract's conclusion misnames the condition, flagged in the evidence notes. No industry funding is stated in the trial abstracts. Safety, interaction and pregnancy text come only from the two EMA monographs (aniseed and anise oil) and LactMed. No product links. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page |
| evidence and safety | Adversarial review: replaced 'funding not stated' for the dyspepsia trial with the journal articles' own statements (no external funding, no conflicts). | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: adversarial review |
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