Stepwise gradient thin-layer chromatography and densitometric determination of taxol in extracts from various species ofTaxus

Extracts fromTaxus species needles (T. media, T. baccata, T. cuspidata) were separated on thin layers of silica Si 60 by two-stage development (first stage: 60 % heptane solution of a mixture of 5% methanol and 95% chloroform; second stage: 70% heptane solution of the same solution of methanol in chloroform). The peak of taxol was satisfactorily separated from the neighbouring peaks to permit its densitometric determination. Content of taxol for various samples of Taxus species is compared.