HPLC DETERMINATION OF TAXOL AND RELATED-COMPOUNDS IN TAXUS PLANT-EXTRACTS

A sensitive and reproducible HPLC method, using a Curosil G column and gradient elution, was developed for the routine analysis of taxol (I) and six related taxanes, 10-desacetyl-7-epi-taxol (II), cephalomannine (III), 10-desacetyl taxol (IV), baccatin III (V), 10-desacetyl-7-epi-baccatin III (VI), and 10-desacetyl baccatin III (VII) in Taxus plant extracts. The method was linear for taxanes I-VII within the concentration range tested of 0.1 mu g injected. Purging and regeneration procedures were used which allowed more than 600 injections to be made on the same column without the development of backpressure problems. The day-to-day variation in the peak area of taxanes I-VII was minimum (C.V. = 9.8%, 9.1%, 5.8%, 7.7%, 7.4% and 7.8% respectively, n = 12). Variation within a day in the peak area of taxanes I-VII was even less (C.V. = 1.5%, 1.3%, 1.4%, 1.4%, 1.4%, 1.5% and 1.5%, respectively, n = 4). The separation efficiency of the Curosil G column was compared to pentafluorophenyl (Taxil) and diphenyl (Supelcosil) bonded silica columns using 3 gradient elution systems.