To obtain taxol, which is an anticancer agent effective for leukemia, etc., but little in the contents in plants, in a good yield from Taxus cuspidata var. nana. Hort. ex Rehder as a raw material.
The leaves, duramen or bark of Taxus cuspidata var. nana. Hort. ex Rehder from Miyagi prefecture, Toyama prefecture, etc., is extracted with an alcohol (e.g. methanol), and the concentrated solution of the alcohol extract is extracted with ethyl acetate to obtain the crude extract. The obtained ethyl acetate layer is extracted with an aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution to separate a carboxylic acid fraction. The layer is extracted with a dilute alkaline solution to separate a phenol fraction. The layer is further extracted with a dilute hydrochloric acid solution to separate an alkaloid fraction and a neutral fraction. The neutral fraction is subjected to a silica gel column chromatography having active carbon spread on the upper layer and subsequently eluted with an organic solvent such as benzene to obtain taxol.
SUGIYAMA TAKEMI
MIKUCHI MORIKIMI
