Aniseed essential oil 

Essential oil of aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) is not usually among those that we select when  requiring an uplifting, antidepressive effect. We might think instead of essential oils such as lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and sandalwood (Santalum spp.), all of which have shown beneficial effects in clinical trials on mood parameters such as anxiety and depression (Sánchez-Vidaña et al, 2017).

Yet a recent clinical trial conducted in Iran found that essential oil of aniseed, which as a medicinal plant has long been important in traditional Persian medicine, showed promising results in alleviating the symptoms of mild to moderate depression in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (Mosaffa-Jahrom et al, 2017).

The gut-brain axis, serotonin and IBS

IBS is characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, and depending on the diagnostic criteria employed, affects about 11% of the...