Drug & supplement interaction

Anise + Interferon Beta-1a

Interferon Beta-1a brand names: Rebif, Avonex.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Anise and Interferon Beta-1a in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Anise and Interferon Beta-1a

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Interferon Beta-1a and Anise in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Anise safety at a glance

Anise overall Use caution Generally safe as a food or tea, but the concentrated essential oil needs more care.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally in amounts commonly found in food. Anise and anise oil have Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US. There is insufficient reliabl... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally in amounts commonly found in food. Anise and anise oil have Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US. There is insufficient reliabl... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Interferon Beta-1a and Anise? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Interferon Beta-1a

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Interferon Beta-1a is filed under 2 classifications — photosensitizing drugs, hepatotoxic drugs. Anise has documented interactions with 11 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate), caffeine (moderate) and codeine (moderate) — and none of Interferon Beta-1a’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Anise Does Interact With Other Medications

Anise has 193 moderate, 52 minor known drug interactions in our database — Interferon Beta-1a isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 193 Minor 52 No known interaction 2,585 (incl. Interferon Beta-1a)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Anise

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Anise. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

What Anise Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Interferon Beta-1a. It is the side-effect record for Anise on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Anise, this list is the first place to look. 2 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Wheezing / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Anise can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Orally or by inhalation, anise can cause rhinoconjunctivitis, occupational asthma, and anaphylaxis. Topically, anise can cause contact dermatitis, rhinitis, and asthma. Contact dermatitis and cheilitis have also been reported following the use of toothpaste containing anethole, a constituent of anise.”

    Anise · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in asthma.

    5 sources cited
    1. 13484. Garcia-Gonzalez JJ, Bartolome-Zavala B, Fernandez-Melendez S, et al. Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and food allergy because of aniseed sensitization. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2002;88:518-22. . PubMed
    2. 31319. Gonzalez-Gutierrez, M. L., Sanchez-Fernandez, C., Esteban-Lopez, M. I., Sempere-Ortells, J. M., and Diaz-Alperi, P. Allergy to anis. Allergy 2000;55(2):195-196.
    3. 31341. Anliker, M. D., Borelli, S., and Wuthrich, B. Occupational protein contact dermatitis from spices in a butcher: a new presentation of the mugwort-spice syndrome. Contact Dermatitis 2002;46(2):72-74. PubMed
    4. 31403. Poon, T. S. and Freeman, S. Cheilitis caused by contact allergy to anethole in spearmint flavoured toothpaste. Australas.J Dermatol. 2006;47(4):300-301. PubMed
    5. 31528. Andersen, K. E. Contact allergy to toothpaste flavors. Contact Dermatitis 1978;4(4):195-198. PubMed
  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, anise seems to be well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Topically: Contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals.”

    Anise · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

  • A stuffy or runny nose Additional detail

    Recorded for Anise in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Wheezing / An allergic reaction above.

  • Itching Additional detail

    “Topically, anise, in combination with other herbs, has been reported to cause localized pruritus.”

    Anise · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pruritus.

    1 source cited
    1. 13483. Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, et al. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4:790-3.
  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Recorded for Anise in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction above.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Anise — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Interferon Beta-1a to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Interferon Beta-1a.

Special populations

Anise in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally in amounts commonly found in food. Anise and anise oil have Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of anise when taken orally in medicinal amounts during pregnancy or breast-feeding.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Beta-1a

This page covers Anise only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Beta-1a page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Beta-1a page

“Siberian cocklebur, an herb tied to documented cases of liver failure, is the first name to know for anyone injecting interferon beta-1a (Rebif, Avonex) for multiple sclerosis. Interferon beta-1a can strain the liver on its own, which is why prescribers order routine liver blood tests, and 38 of the 57 supplements on file carry that sa…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Beta-1a interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Anise as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 465 real supplement products containing Anise, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Anise. Even though Anise itself has no known interaction with Interferon Beta-1a, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Anise and Interferon Beta-1a Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Anise
Top 25%

#319 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Beta-1a
Steady interest

#2,067 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Anise reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Anise and Interferon Beta-1a records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Anise

What is Anise?

Anise
  • Digestive upset and bloating
  • Cough and respiratory complaints
  • Sore throat
  • Menstrual discomfort
  • Flavoring agent

Anise is a fragrant, licorice-flavored seed used for centuries to ease digestion and soothe coughs. Most of its health claims are based on tradition and small or laboratory studies rather than strong human research, so evidence is limited. It is generally safe as a food and tea for most adults, but the concentrated essential oil should be used carefully and avoided in pregnancy.

Pimpinella anisum · Apiaceae · Seeds (fruit) and essential oil · Whole or ground seeds, tea, capsules, extracts, essential oil

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Anise is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Anise record says about it on its own.

Anise: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for anise. Amounts vary widely depending on the form, such as seeds steeped as tea, capsules, or extracts.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Anise monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Anise monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection

What Is Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebif, Avonex

  • Interferon beta-1a intramuscular injection is used to treat adults with various forms of multiple sclerosis (MS; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control) including:

    • clinically isolated syndrome (CIS; nerve symptom episodes that last at least 24 hours),

    • relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up from time to time), or

    • secondary progressive forms (course of disease where relapses occur more often).

  • Interferon beta-1a is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. It works by decreasing inflammation and preventing nerve damage that may cause symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Interferon Beta-1a

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (192,069 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Multiple sclerosis relapse 15,851 reports
Influenza like illness 13,253 reports
Fatigue 11,554 reports
Fall 10,604 reports
Multiple sclerosis 9,358 reports
See full Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Anise

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Anise — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
193Moderate
52Minor
2,584No known interaction
193 Moderate 52 Minor 2,584 No interaction
Moderate

193 interactions

Showing 60 of 193 moderate interactions — see all 193 on the Anise page.

Minor

52 interactions

No interaction 2,584 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Anise against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,584 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Anise list.

See the full Anise interactions page
See every supplement checked against Interferon Beta-1a, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Anise References

The 12 references that drive our Anise monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182
  2. Kassi E, Papoutsi Z, Fokialakis N, et al. Greek plant extracts exhibit selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM)-like properties. J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:6956-61. PubMed
  3. Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, et al. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4:790-3.
  4. Garcia-Gonzalez JJ, Bartolome-Zavala B, Fernandez-Melendez S, et al. Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and food allergy because of aniseed sensitization. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2002;88:518-22. . PubMed
  5. Tabanca N, Khan SI, Bedir E, et al. Estrogenic activity of isolated compounds and essential oils of Pimpinella species from Turkey, evaluated using a recombinant yeast screen. Planta Med 2004;70:728-35.
  6. Gonzalez-Gutierrez, M. L., Sanchez-Fernandez, C., Esteban-Lopez, M. I., Sempere-Ortells, J. M., and Diaz-Alperi, P. Allergy to anis. Allergy 2000;55(2):195-196.
  7. Anliker, M. D., Borelli, S., and Wuthrich, B. Occupational protein contact dermatitis from spices in a butcher: a new presentation of the mugwort-spice syndrome. Contact Dermatitis 2002;46(2):72-74. PubMed
  8. Poon, T. S. and Freeman, S. Cheilitis caused by contact allergy to anethole in spearmint flavoured toothpaste. Australas.J Dermatol. 2006;47(4):300-301. PubMed
  9. Andersen, K. E. Contact allergy to toothpaste flavors. Contact Dermatitis 1978;4(4):195-198. PubMed
  10. Samojlik I, Mijatovic V, Petkovic S, et al. The influence of essential oil of aniseed (Pimpinella anisum, L.) on drug effects on the central nervous system. Fitoterapia 2012;83:1466-73. PubMed
  11. Samojlik I, Petkovic S, Stilinovic N, et al. Pharmacokinetic herb-drug interaction between essential oil of aniseed (Pimpinella anisum L., Apiaceae) and acetaminophen and caffeine: A potential risk for clinical practice. Phytother Res 2016;30:253-9.
  12. Rajeshwari U, Shobha I, Andallu B. Comparison of aniseeds and coriander seeds for antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities. Spatula DD-Peer Reviewed Journal on Complementary Medicine and Drug Discovery 2011;1:9-16. DOI

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Anise and Interferon Beta-1a Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Anise with Interferon Beta-1a?
We do not list a known interaction between Anise and Interferon Beta-1a. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
How was the Anise and Interferon Beta-1a combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Interferon Beta-1a is filed under 2 classifications, and Anise has documented interactions with 11 drug classes — none of Interferon Beta-1a's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Anise interact with any other medications?
Yes. Anise has 245 documented drug interactions in our database — Interferon Beta-1a is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Interferon Beta-1a interact with any supplements?
Yes. Interferon Beta-1a has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — Anise is not one of them. The Interferon Beta-1a interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Anise monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Interferon Beta-1a supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Interferon Beta-1a, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 12 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Interferon Beta-1a and Anise?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.