2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Studies on production of taxol (anticancer agent) from natural sources.
| Project/Area Number |
09556033
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 展開研究 |
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| Research Field |
林学
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| Research Institution | Institute of wood technology, Akita prefectural University (1999-2000)
Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture (1997-1998) |
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Principal Investigator |
KIKUCHI Yoshinari Institute of wood technology, Akita prefectural University, researcher, 木材高度加工研究所, 研究員 (30279517)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 2000
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| Keywords | taxol / Baccatin III / 10-deacetylbaccatin III / Taxus cuspidata / short-rotation |
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| Research Abstract |
Taxol is one of the most promising natural-product anti-cancer drugs and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of ovarian, breast and lung cancers. Taxol, a diterpene found in Taxus spp., is found in Taxus cuspidata Sieb. Et Zucc., which grows in Japan. Although the demand for taxol is steadily increasing, the supply of the drug is limited. We performed studies to establish a method of extracting taxol from cultivated T.cuspidata trees. From these results, it was considered possible to extract taxol from forest resources. Extraction of taxol from renewable resources such as seedlings of T.cuspidata on short-rotation intensive-culture plantations was considered to be an attractive approach for the production of taxol in Japan. In summary, the contents of taxol, baccatin III and 10-deacetylbaccatin III in T.cuspidata growing in Japan were examined, and an efficient extraction method to produce taxol from forest resources was developed. The possibility of producing taxol from the forest resources as part of the forest administrat ion policy was suggested.
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