Anise / Pimpinella anisum

The Basics

What is Anise / Pimpinella anisum?

Anise is well known as a carminative and an expectorant used to decrease bloating and settle the digestive tract. In high doses, it is used as an antispasmodic and an antiseptic and for the treatment of cough, asthma, and bronchitis.

Brand names for Anise / Pimpinella anisum

N/A

How Anise / Pimpinella anisum is classified

Complementary Therapies, Galactogogues, Phytotherapy, Plants, Medicinal

Anise / Pimpinella anisum During Pregnancy

Anise / Pimpinella anisum pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Anise / Pimpinella anisum while pregnant

N/A

Taking Anise / Pimpinella anisum While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Anise / Pimpinella anisum?

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) seeds contain anethole, which is a phytoestrogen. Anise is a purported galactogogue,[1][2][3][4][5][6] and is included in some proprietary mixtures promoted to increase milk supply; however, no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[7] Maternal anise ingestion reportedly imparts an odor to breastmilk,[8] possibly because anethole is excreted into breastmilk.[9] Anise is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a flavoring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Elevated liver enzymes occurred in a woman taking Mother’s Milk Tea, which contains anise.[10] Excessive maternal use of an herbal tea containing anise and other herbs appeared to cause toxicity in two breastfed newborns, consistent with toxicity caused by anethole. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Maternal / infant drug levels

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) seeds contain anethole, which is a phytoestrogen. Anise is a purported galactogogue,[1][2][3][4][5][6] and is included in some proprietary mixtures promoted to increase milk supply; however, no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[7] Maternal anise ingestion reportedly imparts an odor to breastmilk,[8] possibly because anethole is excreted into breastmilk.[9] Anise is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a flavoring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Elevated liver enzymes occurred in a woman taking Mother’s Milk Tea, which contains anise.[10] Excessive maternal use of an herbal tea containing anise and other herbs appeared to cause toxicity in two breastfed newborns, consistent with toxicity caused by anethole. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Possible effects of Anise / Pimpinella anisum on milk supply

A group of 5 nursing mothers were given no herb for 5 days, 15 mL of a 5% infusion of anise 3 times daily for 10 days, followed by another 5-day control period from days 15 to 20. Their diet and environment were kept constant during the study period. Milk volume was measured daily and milk fat percentage was measured on days 5, 10, 15 and 20. The increase in milk volume was variable, from substantial increases to no effect to decreases in volume at the end of the study period. No overall changes in milk fat were observed.[14] Because of the lack of randomization, blinding and controls, and small number of participants, no valid conclusion can be made from this study on the galactogogue effects of anise.

In an uncontrolled, nonblinded study, 5 nursing mothers were given 4 cups of anise tea (preparation method not stated) daily to determine if milk production was improved. The measured endpoint was duration of lactation in the current pregnancy compared to the previous pregnancy based on maternal reporting. Treated women had trivial increases in duration of lactation from 10 days in the previous pregnancy to 15 days with use of the tea.[15] Because of the faulty study design and small number of participants, no valid conclusion can be made from this study on the galactogogue effects of anise.

One hundred fifty-eight mothers in Iran of who reported difficulty in breastfeeding were given either a proprietary mixture of herbs (Shirafza Drop) or a chlorophyll solution as a placebo. The herbal mixture contained the purported galactogogues fennel, anise, cumin, black seed, and parsley. Infant ages ranged between 0 and 6 months and they were exclusively breastfed. Weight gain of the infants was measured over time. No difference in infant weight gain was seen between the two groups of infants.[16] Blinding and randomization in this study is unclear.

A randomized trial assigned mothers of preterm infants to receive either a purported herbal galactogogue tea twice daily, a fruit tea twice daily or nothing. The galactogogue tea mixture (Natal, Hipp [Turkey]) contained 1% stinging nettle as well as melissa, caraway, anise, fennel, goat’s rue, and lemon grass in unspecified amounts. All mothers received similar breastfeeding advice from the same nurse and two groups were told that the tea would increase milk production, but compliance with the study teas was not assessed. Mother used breast pumps to extract and measure their milk and output on day 1 and day 7 of the study were compared. Although the increase in volume of extracted milk was greater in the galactogogue tea group, there was no difference in maternal serum prolactin between the groups at 7 days. No difference in infant weight gain was seen between groups, although the authors stated that additional supplementation was provided to all infants in addition to the pumped milk.[17] The study was not blinded, the randomization method was not stated, intent-to-treat analysis was not performed, and some of the numerical results were internally inconsistent, so the quality of the study was poor.

Possible alternatives to Anise / Pimpinella anisum

None listed