The isolation of paclitaxel (Taxol®, 3) from the bark of the Pacific
Yew, Taxus brevifolia Nutt. (Taxaceae), is another good step in the
discovery of natural product drug. Various parts of Taxus brevifolia and
other Taxus species (e.g., Taxus Canadensis Marshall, Taxus baccata
L.) have been used by several native American tribes for the treatment
of various diseases, while Taxus baccata was reported to use in India
as a medicine for the treatment of cancer. The paclitaxel was clinically
introduced to the US market in the early 1990s.