Paclitaxel

Taxol is a monomeric diterpenoid compound extracted from the bark of the natural plant Taxus genus. It is a complex secondary metabolite and the only known drug that can promote microtubule polymerization and stabilize polymerized microtubules. Isotope tracing showed that paclitaxel only binds to polymerized microtubules and does not react with unpolymerized tubulin dimers. After cells come into contact with paclitaxel chemobooks, they accumulate a large number of microtubules within the cell, which interfere with various functions of the cell, especially stopping cell division at the mitotic stage and blocking normal cell division. Through 2 - 3 clinical studies, paclitaxel is mainly applicable to ovarian cancer and breast cancer, and also has certain effects on lung cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer, lymphoma, and brain tumor.