Paclitaxel

S.C. Roberts and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts, the USDA, and Cornell University report that the application of the cell wall digesting enzymes cellulase (1%) and pectolyase (0.1%) to Taxus canadiensis cell suspension cultures does not appear to disrupt membranes but does result in a significant increase in the amount of paclitaxel released into the culture medium, suggestion that paclitaxel is stored in the cell wall (Plant Cell Reports 21(12): 1217-1220, 2003). The authors suggest that addition of cell wall digesting enzymes to cell cultures may be an effective method for increasing the release of paclitaxel into the culture medium, thus simplifying recovery of the important anticancer compound. At the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, J. We and L. Lin have found that the paclitaxel production and release into the culture medium by T. chinensis cells in suspension culture can be enhanced by ultrasound (1.5-1.8 fold), methyl jasmonate (approximately 5-fold) or in situ solvent extraction with dibutyl phthalate (7- to 9-fold). (Appl. Microbiol. Biotechol 62: 151-155, 2003). The combined use of ultrasound and methyl jasmonate results in paclitaxel yields 20-50% higher than either of the treatments used alone. The best method for paclitaxel production, however, is ultrasound or methyl jasmonate treatment followed by in situ solvent extraction. This results in paclitaxel yield of 33-35 mg/liter, which is approximately 17-fold higher than the untreated control.

*taken from Agricell Report Vol. 42, Number 2, February 2004