ABSTRACT Variability in composition of paclitaxel, the precursor 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB), and related taxoids of different polarity, namely 2-acetoxy brevifoliol, brevifoliol, 2-deacetoxy-decinnamoyl taxinine-J, and cephalomannine in Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallichiana) was studied using octadecylsilane and octasilane columns and an isocratic elution of CH3OH:H2O (0.05%AcOH)-(62:38) with PDA detection. The specific procedure for sample preparation was optimized with HPLC chromatographic protocol, validated following the ICH (International Conference on Harmonization) guidelines, and the precision and accuracy of the analysis confirmed for all six taxoids of interest. The present study established significant variation in the composition of taxoids in yew (T. Wallichiana) samples from two locations (Arunachal and Uttranchal regions) of Himalaya.