TISSUE-CULTURES OF TAXUS-BACCATA AS A SOURCE OF 10-DEACETYLBACCATIN-III, A PRECURSOR FOR THE HEMISYNTHESIS OF TAXOL

Callus cultures of Taxus baccata L. cv. stricta were induced from hypo cotyl and leaf explants on Woody Plant medium (hormone-free or additio nated with phytohormones). Under continuous dark condition, adventitio us roots were regenerated from hypocotyl- and leaf-derived callus cult ures. Antibodies raised in rabbits against 10-succinyl-10-deacetylbacc atin III were used for the detection and the semi-quantitative determi nation of 10-deacetylbaccatin III in Taxus cultures. The presence of 1 0-deacetylbaccatin III in callus extracts was confirmed by TLC, HPLC u sing a photodiode array detector and mass spectrometry (CI-MS). The hi ghest equivalent content of the taxoid derivatives (7.83 mg/100 g dry wt.) was detected in an extract from leaf-derived callus.