Star anise is a powerful antimicrobial

Star anise is the world s greatest source of the shikimic acid compound which is also found in ginkgo ginger fennel and sweetgum fruit and is used by pharmaceutical companies to produce the anti flu medication Tamiflu. The shikimic acid combines with other components in star anise to act as a neuraminidase inhibitor which blocks an enzyme that facilitates the replication of viral particles from body cells.