Development and optimization of a novel simultaneous microwave-assisted extraction and adsorbent treatment process for separation and recovery of paclitaxel from plant cell cultures

A novel simultaneous microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and adsorbent treatment process was developed for recovering the anticancer agent paclitaxel from plant cell cultures and removing plant-derived tar and waxy compounds. The efficiency of the process was maximized by optimizing several major process variables. The optimal extraction time, ratio of adsorbent to liquid–liquid extract, ratio of methanol to biomass and extraction temperature were found to be 6 min, 4.5:1 (w/w), 1:1 (v/w) and 40 °C, respectively. By performing the simultaneous process under these conditions, we were able to recover most of the paclitaxel (>99%) with a purity of ∼22% after hexane precipitation. The efficiency of this process is similar to that of the conventional process (purity: ∼20%, yield: ∼95%) in which paclitaxel recovery is separate from adsorbent treatment. Therefore, it is expected that the conventional process can be simplified by simultaneously performing paclitaxel recovery and removal of impurities, thus dramatically reducing the cost of separation/purification.

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► A simultaneous extraction-adsorbent treatment process is developed for paclitaxel.
► The purity and yield are 20% and 95%.
► The efficiency of this process is similar to that of the conventional process.
► The developed method can dramatically reduce the cost of separation/purification.