title: Taxanes from in vitro cultures of the Himalayan yew Taxus wallichiana.
abstract: Culture conditions have been standardized for initiation of callus cultures of Himalayan yew (Taxus wallichiana) using young stem and needle explants from mature trees. Cultures were established on a modified Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with various levels of auxins (2.4-D, NAA) and cytokinin (kinetin). A medium containing 0.25 mg/l kinetin and 5.0 mg/l 2.4-D was optimal for stem callus growth whereas the presence of 0.25 mg/l kinetin along with 3.0 mg/l NAA in the medium supported optimal needle callus growth. Growth of stem callus was faster than needle callus growth. Supplementation of ascorbic acid (30 mg/l) amongst various anti-phenolic agents tested significantly reduced browning of initiated callus. Two taxanes (2-deacetoxytaxinine 1 and 2'-deacetoxyaustrospicatine) known to occur in stem bark, have also been isolated from undifferentiated tissue of T. wallichiana in equal or higher yields, for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Upadhyay
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kukreja
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007194:India; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D017239:Paclitaxel