A review of the importance of Taxol production from yew (Taxus baccata L.)

The medicinal value of the yew plant, especially Taxus baccata, is due to the presence of Paclitaxel under the brand name Taxol in its needle leaves. Taxol, with its antimicrobial properties, causes the death of proliferating cells by preventing the formation of abnormally dividing spindles. Abnormal division stops DNA transcription in the G2 / M division of mitosis and thus causes the proliferation of proliferating cells. Obtained for the first time from the yew plant. The yew tree with the scientific name of Taxus baccata L. is one of the coniferous trees of the plant belonging to the Taxaceae family. The yew forests are among the oldest forests in the world and are the heritage of the late third geological period. The yew is an endangered and regenerative plant. And it grows naturally very little. This tree is shade-loving and is distributed in humid and semi-humid areas and its distribution is in the forests of northern Iran. The use of this plant is the treatment of cancer, especially breast, uterine and ovarian cancers, which is related to the composition of taxol. It is a type of alkaloid diterpene that is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic drugs and is on the list of essential drugs of the World Health Organization. This substance is extracted from the skin, roots and other parts of the plant and is still extracted. Valuable plant source has retained its importance and status. Production of taxol through biotechnologies is one of the main options used and has advantages such as independence of production from geographical and environmental conditions, higher production speed and ease of extraction and prevention of extinction of native resources with a positive approach to increase the effective material.