Illicium anisatum

Japanese star anise ( Illicium anisatum )

The Japanese star anise or Shikimifrucht ( Illicium anisatum (syn. Illicium religiosum and Illicium japonicum) ) is a poisonous fruit that with the genuine star anise ( Illicium verum) is closely related to the well-known herb for thousands of years.

Because of the similar appearance of the fruit, there is often confusion or to mixing between spice and poisonous fruit. Due to the lack of characteristic fruit stalks, and transferring the essential aniseed on the poisonous plant, it is with star anise to determine the mixture is not easy to find out and only the myristicin content which is contained only in the Shikimifrucht. The fruits contain a high concentration of shikimic acid, which is named after this fruit.

Poisons and toxic effects

Japanese star anise contains Shikamin, shikimic acid, Sikimipicrin and the neurotoxic alkaloids Shikimin and Shikimotoxin. The symptoms of poisoning occur after the consumption of Japanese star anise, however, attributed to the sesquiterpene lactone anisatin. The symptoms of this poisoning are vomiting, blurred vision, and serious damage to the kidneys, urinary tract, digestive system and nervous system.

The shikimic acid is the starting material for the synthesis of the antiviral drug oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ) to treat the flu.