The core objective of the present investigation was to determine the
physicochemical characteristics, vitamins content (A, E, D, K and C),
phenolic compounds in mint oil and basil oil. The data indicated specific
gravity, refractive index, iodine value, saponification value, acid value and
peroxide value in both mint oil and basil oil. Likewise data revealed that
vitamins D, E and A were in descending order (439.237 ug/100g, 269.126
ug/100g and 18.533 ug/100g) in mint oil, while vitamins A, K, C and E were
(193.72 ug/100g, 56.041 ppm, 5.83 ug/100g and 2.65 ug/100g) in basil oil.
Furthermore mint oil contained 8 phenolic compounds among them
salicylic, benzoic and coumarin recorded the highest values. On the other
hand basil oil contained 10 phenolic compounds among them benzoic and
ellagic recorded the highest values. The study included fractionation and
quantifications of lipids in the mint oil and basil oil. Besides mint oil
recorded slight increase in lipid fractions which ranged from (2.36% to
15.84%) in mint oil, while it ranged from (2.46% to 16.46%) in basil oil.
Using TLC technique the total lipids of mint oil and basil oil were
fractionated to seven fractions with monoglycerides recording the highest
percentage (62.43%) and (61.77%) followed by phospholipids (15.84%) in
mint oil and sterols in (16.46%) basil oil. Consequently it is recommended to
utilize both mint oil and basil oil as two of the most important aromatic oils
in food and pharmaceutical industries.