Improved paclitaxel and baccatin III production in suspension cultures of Taxus media.

A cell suspension culture of Taxus media was established from a stable callus line of this species. The growth rate and production of paclitaxel and baccatin III of this cell suspension were significantly increased during the shake flask culture in its respective optimum media for cell growth and product formation, which were selected after assaying 24 different culture media. The highest yields of paclitaxel (2.

Production of paclitaxel and baccatin III in a 20-L airlift bioreactor by a cell suspension of Taxus wallichiana.

A cell suspension culture of Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan Yew) was grown in shake flasks and a 20-L airlift bioreactor running for 28 days in a batch mode, and its capacity to accumulate paclitaxel and baccatin III was measured. When both culture types were in the highest productive state (from day 24 to day 28), there was a greater accumulation of paclitaxel and baccatin III in the bioreactor culture than in the shake flask culture (factor of 2.0 and 1.