Illicium verum

Common name: Ba Jiao Hui Xian

Family: Illiciaceae

Known Hazards: The fruit is poisonous in quantity

Range: E. Asia - China, Vietnam.

Habitat: Light woodland and thickets

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 5m by 3m . It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen in October. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2 out of 5 for usefulness.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. Habitats and Possible Locations : Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall. Edible UsesFruit.

The fruit is used as a flavouring in curries, teas and pickles. It is an ingredient of 'five spice powder', used in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. The fruit is also chewed after meals in order to sweeten the breath[4]. Caution is advised because it is said to be poisonous in quantity. The essential oil is used to flavour liqueurs, soft drinks and bakery products.

Medicinal Uses

Antibacterial; Carminative; Expectorant; Homeopathy; Stimulant.

The fruit is antibacterial, carminative, diuretic, odontalgic, stimulant, and stomachic. It is taken internally in the treatment of abdominal pain, digestive disturbances and complaints such as lumbago. It is often included in remedies for digestive disturbances and cough mixtures, in part at least for its pleasant aniseed flavour.

An effective remedy for various digestive upsets, including colic, it can be safely given to children. The fruit is also often chewed in small quantities after meals in order to promote digestion and to sweeten the breath. The fruit has an antibacterial affect similar to penicillin. The fruit is harvested unripe when used for chewing, the ripe fruits being used to extract essential oil and are dried for use in decoctions and powders. A homeopathic remedy is prepared from the seed.

Other Uses

Essential; Incense.The pounded bark is used as an incense.

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Shikimic acid  of Illicium verum

Shikimic acid is a white crystalline compound of nonnitrogenous acid found in various plants naturally. It has two kind functional groups in the same molecule, three hydroxyl groups and a carboxylic acid group, which are optically active. They can yield various kinds of esters and salts.

Shikimic acid is a cyclitol, a polyhydroxylated cycloalkane containing at least three hydroxy groups in the ring at different positions. Examples are inositol and quinic acid. The most important feature of cyclitol is that there are chiral isomers, key intermediates in the biosynthesis of aromatic compounds in living metabolism.

Shikimic acid is a key intermediate in the biochemical pathway from phosphoenolpyruvic acid to tyrosine. Shikimic acid is a precursor of many alkaloids, aromatic amino acids, and indole derivatives.

Shikimic acid is widely used as a chiral building block for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. An example of end product is an antiviral drug oseltamivir, a neuraminidase inhibitor used in the treatment and prophylaxis of both influenza A and influenza B.

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