Saturday, February 07, 2004

TheWBALChannel.com - Health Alert - Doctors Join FDA In Warning Against Drinking Star Anise Tea
Star Anise Teas Cause Adverse Reactions, Especially In Children
"POSTED: 4:09 PM EST February 6, 2004
MIAMI -- The federal Food and Drug Administration issued a warning months ago concerning tea brewed from star anise. Now, doctors want to reinforce the warning, saying they continue to see patients for emergency treatment after drinking the tea. Tea brewed from star anise, or anise estrellado, is often given to infants for colic. But Children's Hospital in Miami reports that in the past two years, doctors have seen seven cases of adverse neurologic reactions among infants 2 weeks to 3 months who were exposed to star anise tea....'Interestingly, one was a case of a breastfed infant. The mother was taking it herself, did not administer to the baby and the baby seized. So it has transmitted through breast milk ..."