Anise is a raw material for Tamiflu

Anise fruit is becoming the savior of countries with avian influenza because it is the main ingredient for making Tamiflu antiviral drug. In Vietnam, it was planted in the northern provinces of Lang Son, Cao Bang and Quang Ninh.

The Tamiflu tree used to produce is anise, there is also the repatriated and octagonal repatriation name, the scientific name is Illicium verum. It is often mistaken for two poisonous plants: Japan (Illicium anisatum) and mountain (Illicium griffithii). All poison. Anise is a missed tree, 2-6 m high, completely non-retention is a small herbaceous plant, looks very much like a spoon.

Since experts recommend the risk of a global pandemic, the fever of Tamiflu has exploded and since then it has become expensive. The field of several hundred hectares of anise cultivation in China has become an important 'weapon' in the battle of pandemic influenza. Anise price has tripled in the last 4 months, currently around VND 30,000 / kg.

When Tamiflu was born (nearly 10 years ago), the Gilead, California (USA) group used Quinkina (not anise) to be used as the main material. But when Roche Holding AG bought the license to manufacture Tamiflu, they replaced Quinkina with a return.

However, experts have recommended that people should not abuse the anise, since the extract from Tamiflu has undergone a very complicated processing (to produce shikimic acid), not like the original part. In addition, in the future, Roche is planning to prepare this shikimic acid by fermentation method so that it will not depend too much on the long-term source.

Star anise - precious medicine

In Oriental medicine, anise is used to treat vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, detoxification of fish meat, aching limbs. Use 4-8 g daily, suppressive medicine, decoction, or 1-4 g powder form. Anise fruit is soaked with alcohol along with some other medicinal herbs used to massage low numbness and aches.

Western medicine also used anise fruit as a neutral medicine, stimulating digestion and milk gain. Anise has the effect of reducing pain, reducing intestinal spasms, and is used in diseases of the stomach and intestines. Using too much will be poisoned with symptoms of drunkenness, tremor, limb, brain and lung congestion, sometimes convulsions like epilepsy.

Anise essential oil helps to ease digestion, inhibits intestinal fermentation, phlegm and mild diuresis, ingredients of cough medicines, skin rubs, fungal and scabies medicines.