Anisatin is an extremely toxic, insecticidally active component of the shikimi plant.

[3] Symptoms begin to appear about 1–6 hours after ingestion, beginning with gastrointestinal ailments, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain, followed by nervous system excitation, seizures, loss of consciousness, and respiratory paralysis, which is the ultimate cause of death.

[4] The GABA system is an important site of action by a variety of chemicals, including alcohols, heavy metals, and insecticides.

[5][6] A study conducted on frog spinal cords and rat brains indicated that anisatin was a strong non-competitive GABA antagonist.

[7][8] Diazepam has been studied as an anti-convulsive on the GABA system, and has been shown to be an effective treatment for anisatin-induced convulsions.