Medicinal uses of Anise (Pimpinella anisum)

Medicinal uses of Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
Anise is a native to the eastern Mediterranean areas as well as western Asia and North Africa, where it still grows wild as a wayside weed.

Because it is so short lived, it often appears in spring and again in late summer, drawing bees and butterflies to it in droves its sweet liquorices fragrance.

Astonishingly, anise has been cultivated in Egypt for over 4000 years. Pharaonic texts show that even then it was used as a digestive herb diuretic and for toothache. The Greek used it too.

Anise tea is beneficial in treating frigidity and impotence and for the easing of the menstrual cycle. The ancient Greeks used aniseeds and fresh flowers for pain relief and recorded that aniseed warms, dries, dissolves, facilities breathing, provokes urine, eases thirst and relieves pain- and modern research verifies this.

Make a tea of 2 teaspoons of aniseeds, pour over this 1 cup of boiling water leave it to stand for four to five minutes, give it a good stir, then either strain and sip slowly, or chew the seeds well with the tea - they are delicious.

Alternatively, make tea of fresh leaves and flowers by steeping ¼ of the leaves and flowers in 1 cup of boiling water for three to four minutes.

Strain, sweeten with a touch of honey, if liked and sip slowly.

The cooled tea made of either the fresh flowers and leaves or the seeds, can also be strained and used as a lotion or wash for oily skin, enlarged pores and acne and in spray bottle misted over the face will help to freshen, brighten and remove oiliness and redness, and to give an instant moisturizing effect to a lot flushed face.

Anise mint tea is very good for throat. Use I teaspoon dried anise mint tea for cup of boiling water. Let steep 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten. Drinks warm as possible, repeat as often as desired.

It is also excellent for a child writing exams, especially with a sprig of pepper mint in the tea to boost concentration and promote clear thinking,

Anise flowers in the diet and a tea of the seeds also helps breast milk production and reduces acidity so it really should be used far more than it is.
Medicinal uses of Anise (Pimpinella anisum)