Abstract
We report here the effect of a hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C6MIM][PF6]), for in situ extraction of hydrophobic taxanes such as 10-deacetyl baccatin III, baccatin III, cepharomannine and paclitaxel from an aqueous medium, on the production of the taxanes by Taxus cuspidata callus in the IL-medium two phase culture system. The effect of an additional elicitor, methyl jasmonate (MJ), on the production of the taxanes was also examined. The callus growth in the culture with the IL decreased compared to that without the IL. The production amount of 10-deacetyl baccatin III in the culture with the IL was enhanced significantly, which might cause the callus growth to decrease. Addition of MJ in the culture with the IL promoted the amount of cepharomannine produced. It was clear that [C6MIM][PF6] was an effective solvent for extraction and production of the taxanes in the callus culture.
