CULTURED TAXUS TISSUES AS A SOURCE OF TAXOL, RELATED TAXANES AND OTHER NOVEL ANTI-TUMOR/ANTI-VIRAL COMPOUNDS

摘要

Successful culture methods have been developed which result in stable, long-term tissue cultures derived from Taxus explants and hydroponically grown roots. These cultures offer a rapidly reproducible, continuously-available source for the production of purified taxol and taxol-related compounds. Culture methods include in vitro tissue culture and hydroponics. Cultures are initiated with stem or root tissues of Taxus or from roots grown hydroponically. Taxol production may be scaled to commercial levels by use of bioreactors. Screening assays are provided for species and cultures of Taxus that are sources of taxol and taxol-related compounds. In addition to obtaining the same compositions as presently directly extracted from yew trees, new compositions exhibiting taxol-like activity, have been purified from the novel Taxus sources, offering new horizons for chemotherapeutic agent development.