Rich in Shikimic Acid

Star anise is the primary source of shikimic acid a plant based compound that is the precursor to oseltamivir an antiviral medication that is marketed as Tamiflu according to an article in a 2011 issue of Alternative Medicine Studies. Although shikimic acid also occurs naturally in ginkgo and sweetgum fruit star anise has far greater concentrations. Italian researchers tested shikimic acid alone and in combination with quercetin an antioxidant rich plant based nutrient to see if they could bolster immune function to help fight off flu or other viral infections. Although shikimic acid on its own had little or no effect on immune function its combination with quercetin even at low doses appeared to help ramp up immune function to better resist viral infection. Researchers published their findings in the April 2008 issue of ?Journal of Medical Virology.