Suspension cultures initiated from leaf explants of Ocimum basilicum and hypocots of Pimpinella anisum showed major changes in their essential oil composition. Eugenol, α-cubebene, methyl cinnamate and iso-caryophyllene completely disappeared, while Estragole, Methyl eugenol and 10-Methylicosane where the major components newly formed in O. basilicum. However, estragole, limonene, carvone, dihydrocarvyl-acetate and β-caryophyllene vanished, while p-anisaldhyde and p-anisaldhyde dimethyl acetal were biosynthesized in a large percentage. Anise oil was more potent than basil oil as antioxidant confirmed by DPPH and was more cytotoxic on Caco-2 and HepG-2 cell lines. Conversely, basil oil possessed more immunostimulant activity than anise oil confirmed by stimulation index on PBMCs