Disclosed is a process for production of 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]-carbonyloxycamptothecin from a camptothecin composition containing 18,19-dehydrocamptothecin without producing any vinyl form of the compound. The process is characterized by catalytically reducing at least one compound selected from a compound (1) and others in the process of producing a compound (5) from a composition containing the compound (1).