Star anise (Illicium verum) is a spice and traditional remedy wildly used for various reasons, including in the treatment of infantile colic. However, its neurotoxic effects in infants treated for colic have been reported. This review included three case reports published between the years 2004 and 2021 describing the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of infants after exposure to star anise. The neurotoxic manifestations ranged from mild irritability and vomiting to more serious symptoms including seizures. These symptoms were primarily attributed to the contamination of Chinese star anise with Japanese star anise, which contains neurotoxins such as anisatin, neoanisatin, and pseudoanisatin. Most of the cases were treated conservatively with benzodiazepines for seizures and withdrawing the offending agent. There are no long-term neurological consequences of star anise toxicity.
Key words: Star anise, infantile colic, neurotoxicity, herbal toxicity, review article
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