The fruit of Pimpinella Anisum Linne (nat. ord. Umbelli-ferce).

Habitat

Western Asia, Egypt, Southeastern Europe; cultivated.

Characters

About 4 or 5 mm. long, ovate, compressed at the sides, grayish, finely hairy, and consisting of two mericarps, each with a flat face, and five light, brownish, filiform ridges, and about 15 thin oil tubes, which can be seen in a transverse section by the microscope. It has an agreeable aromatic odor, and a sweet, spicy taste. - Resembling Anise. - Conium, which has single mericarps, smooth, grooved upon the face, and having crenate ridges with wrinkles between them, and no oil-tubes.

Composition

The chief constituent is the official volatile oil (see below).

Anise is contained in Tinctura Rhei Dulcis.

Dose, 10 to 30 gr.; .60 to 2.00 gm.

Illicium. Star Anise

Illicium. - Synonym. - Star Anise. The fruit of Illicium verum Hooker filius (nat. ord. Magnoliaceae).

Habitat

Northern Anam.

Characters

The fruit is pedunculate and consists of eight stellately arranged carpels, which are boat-shaped, about 10 mm. long, rather woody, wrinkled, straight-beaked, brown, dehiscent on the upper suture, internally reddish-brown, glossy, and containing a single, flattish, oval, glossy, brownish-yellow seed; odor anise-like; taste of the carpels sweet and aromatic, and of the seeds oily. Resembling Star Anise. - Illicium anisatum Linne (Illicium religiosum Siebold), the carpels of which are more woody, shrivelled, and have a thin, mostly curved beak, a faint, clove-like odor, and an unpleasant taste.

Composition

The chief constituent is the volatile oil.

Oleum Anisi may be distilled from this as well as from Pimpinella Anisum.

Dose, 5 to 30 gr.; .30 to 2.00 gm.

Oleum Anisi. Oil Of Anise

A volatile oil distilled from Anise.

Characters

A colorless or pale yellow, thin, and strongly refractive liquid, having the characteristic odor of Anise, and a sweetish, mildly aromatic taste. That from the Pimpinella Anisum solidifies at 590 F. 150 C. ; that from Illicium verum (Star-anise) at about 500 F. 100 C.. Sp. gr., about 0.980 to 0.990.

Solubility

In an equal volume of Alcohol.

Composition

The chief constituents are - (1) A Terpene, C10H16, in small quantity. (2) A Stearopten, anethol, C10H12O, 80 per cent.

Oil of Anise is contained in Tinctura Opii Camphorata, Spiritus Aurantii Compositus, Syrupus Sarsaparillae Compositus, and Trochisci Glycyrrhizae et Opii.

Dose, 1 to 5 m.; .06 to .30 c.c.

Preparations

1. Aqua Anisi. - Anise water. Oil of Anise, 2. By trituration with precipitated Calcium Phosphate, addition of Water and filtration to 1000.

Dose, 1/4 to 1 fl. oz.; 8. to 30. c.c.

2. Spiritus Anisi. - Spirit of Anise. Oil of Anise, 100; Alcohol, 900.

Dose, 1 to 2 fl. dr.; 4. to 8. c.c.

Action And Therapeutics Of Anise

The action of oil of anise is the same as that of aromatic oils generally. It is specially used to get rid of flatulence in children, and, on account of its slightly expectorant action, as a basis of cough mixtures.