A simultaneous microwave-assisted extraction and adsorbent treatment process under acidic conditions for recovery and separation of paclitaxel from plant cell cultures

Abstract

We have developed a simultaneous microwave-assisted extraction and adsorbent treatment process under acidic conditions to increase the recovery and separation efficiency of the anticancer agent paclitaxel from plant cell culture. The simultaneous process under the conditions of extracting solution (90% aqueous methanol), pH 2.2, extraction time, 6min, ratio of extracting solution to biomass, 1: 1 (v/w), extraction temperature, 40 °C, adsorbent type, sylopute, and ratio of adsorbent to biomass, 0.08: 1 (w/w), facilitated 1.97-fold higher recovery of paclitaxel in a shorter extraction time than the conventional solvent extraction process. In addition, biomass-derived tar compounds were successfully removed by the simultaneous process alone (average removal >97%). Using the simultaneous process, the paclitaxel extraction efficiency was improved, biomass-derived tar compounds were removed, and the purification process was simplified at the same time.