Introduction
Menthol is crystalline substance with characteristics of pungent odour derived from the oil of the pepper mint plant ‘Mentha Piperita’.
The plant belong to Labiatae family which is very large family having annual and perennial herbs. Several species are shrubby or of climbing forms rarely small trees also. Members of the family are found through out the world but the main area of plantation is Mediterranean region. The plants have square stems paired opposite leaves and tubular flowers with two lips. The leaves sometimes grow in wholes; the flowers may be white or shades of red, blue or purple. The family is well known for the aromatic volatility having oils in the foliage, which are used in perfumes, pharmaceutical products, confectionaries.
The true mints belong to the genus Mentha Piperita. The leaves and tops are sometimes deried and utilized for flavouring but its oil extracted is the main derivative having large commercial value.
The cultivation of Mentha Arvensis in India is a dramatic & very successful story. Before, 1964, there was no production of Mentha Oil & Menthol in India. The cultivation of Mentha Arvensis was started around 1870 in Japan so it is also called Japani Mint than extant in Brazil, China and Formosa etc. Col. Mr. R.N. Chopra & Dr. I.N. Chopra of Regional Reserch Laboratory Jammu Tawi first brought Mentha Arvensis in 1964 and with the best efforts of Mr. S.C. Bante, Managing Director, Hindustan Richardson Ltd (VICKs), the commercial cultivation could be started in India.