GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Anise Myrtle
Syzygium anisatum
Chemotype: E-anethole dominant
- PLANT PART
- stems and branches
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- top-mid
LEARN AS YOU COMPARE
What’s inside this oil?
Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 85 / 100
- Note layer
- top-mid
If you like this scent, explore
A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY
Using it thoughtfully
Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.
- Cited dermal maximum · leave-on
- 0.03%
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- Unknown
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
No phototoxic furocoumarin restriction was identified in the cited anise myrtle sources.
Contraindications & cautions
- majorThis oil is dominated by E-anethole (~95%) with estragole (~4.4%); a peer-reviewed maternal-toxicity review concludes that anethole-rich essential oils are unsafe by any route during pregnancy and breastfeeding, citing anti-implantation effects and disruption of fetoplacental steroidogenesis in animal studies.
- moderateE-anethole shows estrogenic activity in vitro (yeast assays, estrogen-receptor binding) and in vivo; anethole-dominant oils such as this one should be avoided in endometriosis and estrogen-dependent cancers due to reproductive hormone modulation.
- moderateTrans-anethole inhibits platelet aggregation; Tisserand & Young advise avoiding anethole-rich oils such as anise myrtle before major surgery and in those taking anticoagulant medication or with a blood-coagulation disorder.
Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches
A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT
Inside the oil
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
This profile treats the assigned oil as anise myrtle, the anethole chemotype of Syzygium anisatum (formerly Backhousia anisata). The constituent values are taken from the open-access review table for the E-anethole form, then paired with Native Oils Australia's July 2024 IFRA 51 certificate for the oil-level leave-on maximum.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-Anethole (trans-anethole) | 95% | 95–95% | phenylpropanoid | View sourceReview of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae) PMC HTML Table 13, 'E-Anethole Form' column, row 'E-anethole (19)' 95.0% |
| Methyl chavicol (estragole) | 4.43% | 4.43–4.43% | phenylpropanoid | View sourceReview of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae) PMC HTML Table 13, 'E-Anethole Form' column, row 'methyl chavicol (18)' 4.43% |
| alpha-Farnesene | 0.07% | 0.07–0.07% | sesquiterpene | View sourceReview of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae) PMC HTML Table 13, 'E-Anethole Form' column, row 'alpha-farnesene' 0.07% |
| alpha-Pinene | 0.09% | 0.09–0.09% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceReview of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae) PMC HTML Table 13, 'E-Anethole Form' column, row 'alpha-pinene' 0.09% |
| 1,8-Cineole | 0.02% | 0.02–0.02% | monoterpene oxide | View sourceReview of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae) PMC HTML Table 13, 'E-Anethole Form' column, row '1,8-cineole' 0.02% |
| p-Anisaldehyde | 0.01% | 0.01–0.01% | aromatic aldehyde | View sourceReview of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae) PMC HTML Table 13, 'E-Anethole Form' column, row 'anisaldehyde' 0.01% |
Profile source: Review of the Leaf Essential Oils of the Genus Backhousia sens. lat. (Myrtaceae); Native Oils Australia IFRA 51 Aniseed Myrtle Oil certificate; Down Under Enterprises Anise Myrtle page · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9103502/ ; https://www.nativeoilsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/aniseed-myrtle-ifra-51st-amendment.pdf ; https://www.downunderenterprises.com/anise-myrtle
A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY
Traditional & reported uses
These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.
- traditionally used in aromatherapy for uplifting, sweet-warming effects
- reported to support respiratory and digestive comfort in traditional Australian bushfood herbal use
- used in perfumery and flavoring for its strong anise/licorice-like facet
- traditionally associated with comforting, warming blends
- used in blends intended to promote a sense of ease and calm
For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.
What we're still learning · 2 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- odor_intensity 85 normalizes Down Under Enterprises' statement that the anethole chemotype has 'very high odor and flavor intensity' into the archive's 0-100 scale rather than transcribing a published numeric intensity.
- No public source located in this pass gave directly measured volatility-rate or tenacity-hour data for anise myrtle essential oil.