In vitro Cell Cultures ofTaxus as a source of the AntiNeoplastic Drug Taxol and Related Taxanes
Author(s): Upendra Sharma*
Abstract
A variety of tissue explants, including green and red arils, seed material, youthful stems, and needles have been used to introduce the Callus cultures of Taxus cuspidata and Taxus canadensis. The best growth in de?ed media was shown in callus derived from stem segments. In order to prevent callus darking and subsequent growth regeneration, the culture medium was supplemented with reducing substances and phenol binding compounds. The different concentrations and ratios of 2, 4-D and kinetin were affected by cuspidata explant production for the growth of T. cuspidata explant. After 2 months in culture, T. cuspidata were extracted for taxol and hy HPLC analyzed. During the retention period, UV spectra, peak purity as assessed by a photodiode array spectroscopy and comparable to authentic taxol standard as well as an analysis of IH-NMR were shown for taxol presence (0.020 ± 0.005% of dry weight extracted). Suspension cultures of T. Cuspidata from the callus crops were established, subsequently immobilized on ?breass mat, and maintained as immobilized crops over the course of a period of six months, cell crops also produced taxol up to 0.012 ± 0.007% of the dry weight extracted.