I have no knowledge of star anise, but some studies showed elderberry
extract (sambucol) gave results ONCE a person had the flu.
Last year (read: during previous flu vaccine shortage scare) we got
some to have on hand.
The studies showed no preventative success, but we took some as such
anyway. We did not catch the flu, but the people close to us didn't
take sambucol didn't have it either. On the other hand, towards the
end of the winter everybody had a round of the stomach virus and that's
the first time I have had that in decades!
Here's one of the articles:
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra): In the 1980s, virologist Madeline
Mumcuoglu, Ph.D., set out to determine by what mechanism elderberry
successfully defeats the flu. She found that the action of elderberry
extract was to prevent viral hemagglutinin, or the process of the
invading cells using their spike-like projections to introduce its
enzyme into healthy cell membranes. She further noted that the viral
enzyme is also neutralized in the presence of elderberry extract.
A 1993 placebo-controlled, double-blind study on Sambucal, a
standardized extract of elderberry, was carried out in Israel with very
interesting results. The extract inhibited hemagglutination and
replication of several strains of influenza. In the elderberry-treated
group, 93.3% experienced significant relief, including the absence of
fever, within 2 days. The control group had an improvement of 91.7% of
the subjects, but it took 4-5 days longer. There is no synthetic "cure"
for influenza type A and B available with such a degree of efficacy.
In addition to elderberry's ability to deactivate neutraminidase, the
invading viral enzyme that is the threat of influenza, the berries are
one of the richest sources of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins stimulate the
body's immune response by promoting the production of lympocytes,
"killer cells" that act as a second line of soldiers in the battle
against foreign cells.
