History of Medicine of Anise

History of Medicine of Anise
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.

Greek Botanist Dioscorides wrote in the first century AD that anise “warms, dries and dissolves” everything from an aching stomach and a sluggish digestion to excessive “winde” and a stinking breath.

In the sixth century BC, Pythagoras, the mathematician and philosopher, apparently spent some time contemplating the use of anise. He believed that simply holding this herb could prevent seizures in epileptics.

One century later, Hippocrates prescribed a more reasonable use for anise. He recommended it for coughs.

Anise is mentioned in the seventh century BC works of Hammurabi the sixth king of Babylon and author of the Code of Hammurabi, one of the first legal treatise in recorded history.

The Pimpinella in anise’s botanical name derives from the Latin dipinella, or “twice pinnate,” in reference to its leaf form, and because of its pungent, licorice sweetness, anise saw broad medicinal application across all cultures it touched, but particularly for respiratory and digestive ailments.

The Roman scholar Pliny stated that anise “removed all bad odors from the mouth, if chewed in the morning,” a use that is still recommended today.

Pliny also believed that the herb helped to maintain a youthful appearance and he may have been the source of the idea that anise could prevent bad dreams of kept near the bed at night.

The Romans widely cultivated anise for its fragrance, flavor and medicinal properties. They mixed the seeds with other savory spices and with meal to make a cake called mustaceum.

The practical; Romans got two benefits from this mustaceum: it was a digestive aid and a flavorful dessert, and anise contributed to both uses. Mustaceum was often served after heavy meals including wedding feasts.

Because of the value of anise, it became one of the species used by the Romans to pay taxes. In England, in 1305, King Edward I did the Romans one better and levied an import tax on the herb itself.

Despite its popularity, it was not cultivated in England until the middle of the sixteenth century.
History of Medicine of Anise