The Japanese star anise ("Illicium anisatum") is a tree similar to Chinese star anise. It is highly toxic, therefore it is not edible; instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan, where it is known as shikimi. Cases of illness, including "serious neurological effects, such as seizures", reported after using star anise tea may be a result of using this species.

"I. anisatum" is native to Japan. It is similar to "I. verum", but its fruit is smaller and with weaker odor, which is said to be more similar to cardamom than to anise. While it is poisonous and therefore unsuitable for using internally, in Chinese medicine it is used for treatment of some skin problems.

Japanese star anise contains anisatin, shikimin and sikimitoxin, which cause severe inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract and digestive organs. Other compounds present in toxic species of "Illicium" are safrole and eugenol, which are not present in "I. verum" and are used to identify its adulteration.

Anisatin and its derivates are suspected of acting as strong GABA antagonists.

It is impossible to recognize Chinese and Japanese star anise in its dried or processed form by its appearance only, due to morphological similarities between the species.

There are cases of product recalls when products containing star anise were found to be contaminated by Japanese anise. Cases of consumers admitted to hospital with neurological symptoms after ingesting excessive doses of star anise or smaller doses of products adulterated with Japanese anise were described as well.

See also

* Star anise

External links

* [http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00941.html FDA Issues Advisory on Star Anise "Teas"]
* [http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/peds.2004-0058v1 Neurotoxicities in infants seen with the consumption of star anise tea]

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Chinese herbology — For non Chinese traditions of herbology, see herbalism. Chinese Herbology (simplified Chinese: 中药学; traditional Chinese: 中藥學; pinyin: zhōngyào xué) is the theory of Traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the majority of treatments … Wikipedia
shikimic acid — shə̇ˈkimik noun Etymology: Japanese shikimi star anise + English ic : a crystalline acid C6H6(OH)3COOH that is obtained especially from the fruit of the Japanese star anise and is formed as a precursor in the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids… … Useful english dictionary

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Japanese star anise

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