Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an aromatic seed that is often distilled into a sweetly scented essential oil. Sometimes listed as aniseed essential oil, this is the plant that American black licorice candy is flavored with. The scent is sweet and soothing both to the nose and the nervous system. The key constituent in anise is anethole. This chemical is noted for its antimicrobial properties, which are effective against fungi, yeasts and bacteria. Anethole also contributes to its scent and flavor. Star anise, an unrelated plant, also contains anethole but is considered a cheap substitute for aniseed essential oil.
Cough Expectorant
Add a few drops of anise essential oil on a cotton swab. This may be placed in a vaporizer or humidifier tray to fill the room with its photochemical constituents. This remedy is suited for dry, rattling coughs associated with pertussis (whooping cough) and the flu that is accompanied with runny noses. Aromatherapists commonly use anise essential oil to calm symptoms of colds and flus in this way.
Head Lice
Get rid of head lice with just a few treatments of this time-honored remedy. Anise essential oil is diluted with almond oil and rubbed onto the scalp for treatment. Some formulas also contain ylang ylang essential oil.
Hiccup Cure
Use anise essential oil as an old-fashioned way to stop the hiccups. A traditional remedy for this annoying ailment is to place a few drops of anise essential oil on a tissue or cotton ball and breath in the scent with your mouth open. It may initially make you cough but the constituents in the herb soothe the muscle spasms triggering the hiccups. Some people have greater success in treating hiccups by putting a few drops of anise essential oil in a paper bag and breathing rapidly into the mouth of the bag.
Digestive Aid
The anethole in anise essential oil is traditionally used to soothe digestion. Children that have upset stomachs and won't take medicine without a fight will gladly soak in a bathtub with several drops of essential oil. Even placing a warm, wet wash cloth with a drop or two of aniseed essential oil on child's abdomen brings relief. This method works for adults as well.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center - Pertussis
- "The Complete Book of Essential OIls & Aromatherapy"; Worwoood, Valerie Ann; 1991
- "Complementary Health-Aromatherapy"; Lunny, Vivian, M.D.; 1997
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