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Health and Medicine - From What Plant Is Taxol Extracted?

From what plant is taxol extracted?

Taxol is a drug produced from the bark of the western or Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia). Taxol has been shown to inhibit the growth of HeLa cells (human cancer cells) and is a promising new treatment for several forms of cancer.

For a period, before researchers were able to synthesize taxol in the laboratory, taxol was a scarce drug. In 1994, however, two groups of researchers announced they had succeeded in synthesizing taxol. Researchers are now seeking to modify the drug and create "designer" taxols that are more effective at fighting specific types of cancer.

Sources: Audubon Magazine, vol. 94, no. 2 (March-April 1992), pp. 79, 81; Science, vol. 263 (February 18, 1994), p. 911.

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