Common name: Aniseed, anise
Latin name: Pimpinellaanisum
Botanical family: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Method of extraction: Distilled at our organically certified distillery
Plant part used to extract the oil: dry seeds
Cultivation method: Organic Cultivation
Area of origin: Aniseed is native to Greece.
Historical notes:
The name "anise" is derived via Old French from the Latin word ‘anisum’ or Greek ‘anison’, referring to dill. Aniseed is native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia.
It is used to flavour the famous Greek aperitif – ouzo - which is said to have been the work of a group of 14th-century monks on Mount Athos.
Biochemical group: ether
Main chemical constituents: trans-anethole, methyl chavicol (estragole), anisealdehyde, linalol, others
Colour: none
Consistency: thin
Aroma strength: strong
Perfumery note: top
Aroma: characteristic, intense, sweet, liquorish-or fennel-like
Traditional Aromatherapy Uses: Analgesic, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, carminative, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, galactagogue, oestrogenic, stimulant, stomachic
Qualified aromatherapists may use aniseed essential oil for common complaints such as:
Digestive system – dyspepsia, colic, flatulence
Respiratory issues – cough, chronic bronchial asthma, wheezing, conditions with profuse white phlegm, chesty colds, sedative
How we use it:
Inhalation / Vapourisation
For respiratory congestion blend with our Black pine and White fir or Frankincense
- For digestive problems such as indigestion and flatulence blend with our Wild Orange - dilute in a fixed oil (carrier oil) and massage the lower abdomen.
Please, also see our How to Use Essential Oils Safely page for more information
Safety considerations:
Tisserand and Young state that this oil is potentially carcinogenic (based on estragole content) as well as reproductive hormone modulator and may inhibit blood clotting. It is contraindicated for pregnancy, breastfeeding, endometriosis, oestrogen-dependent cancers and children under the age of 5. Although EU does not restrict the use of this oil, IFRA recommends a maximum dermal use level at 0.2%. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, 'Essential Oil Safety' (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 325-328.]
