Star anise not linked to Tamiflu deaths: Scientist

Sun2Surf: PETALING JAYA: The reported abnormal behaviour and subsequent deaths of two Japanese students medicated with the Tamiflu anti-viral drug is not likely due to shikimic acid derived from a common household spice.
Tamiflu is formulated from Chinese star anise (Illicium verum), or commonly known as bunga lawang, and is used as flavouring in meat dishes.
Assoc Prof Dr Mustaffa Ali Mohd of Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Medicine (Department of Pharmacology) told theSun yesterday that shikimic acid is not known to have any side-effect nor medicinal value.
He said even when it is used in Tamiflu, shikimic acid is no longer "shikimic acid" but a totally new compound.
Mustaffa, who also heads the Shimadzu-UMMC Centre for Xenobiotic studies, explained that shikimic acid has no known medicinal value nor curative properties.
"It is not used in Tamiflu as a therapeutic agent but only provides a molecular structure for the formulation of the drug," he said.
Mustaffa said this when he was shown an advisory issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2003 advising the public not to consume teas brewed from star anise.
The FDA advisory cautioned that teas brewed out of star anise have been associated with illnesses affecting about 40 individuals including 15 infants.
The illnesses which occurred over the last two years prior to 2003 ranged from serious neurological effects such as seizure, vomiting, jitteriness and rapid eye movement.
The agency said: "Although labelling of teas containing star anise does not make claims for the product, FDA understands that these products are popularly believed to help against colic in infants.
However, the FDA said it is unaware of scientific evidence to support benefits from teas brewed from star anise and given that fact, consumers should not use them or give them to infants and children.
It also said it has not identified the specific type of star anise associated with the illnesses.
"For this reason, the agency is issuing this advisory as an interim measure while it continues to gather additional information, including that from certain European countries that have reported similar outbreaks of seizures and jitteriness in individuals who have consumed tea brewed from star anise."
FDA also expressed concern that commonly available Chinese star anise, a product it considers as Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS) may contain Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), which has long been recognised as toxic in many countries and which is used for decorative purposes only.
Mustaffa said there could be other "elements" in star anise which may have brought on such adverse conditions in the US experience but shikimic acid is itself not known to be toxic.
He also reiterated that people should not stock up star anise with the intention to consume it in the event of a major avian flu outbreak.
"It does not work that way, but only in the way it is formulated in Tamiflu," said Mustaffa.