ABSTRACT
The cremocarps of P. anisum L. are known as anise or aniseed. There are about 150 species belonging to this genus in Eurasia and in Africa. P. anisum is native to the eastern coast area of the Mediterranean, to Asia Minor, and to Egypt. Spontaneously growing anise may only be found on a few isles of the Aegean Sea. Anise was used in ancient times by the Egyptians. It is mentioned by Plinio, Pitagora, and Dioscoride as a seasoning and medicinal plant named anneson (in Greek, αvισov=unequal, irregular). Anise is still a popular spice today. Its fruit (Anisi vulgaris fructus) is officially regarded as a drug by the Pharmacopoeias of several states of the world (Hornok, 1992).
