Paclitaxel: a new antimitotic chemotherapeutic agent.

摘要: Paclitaxel, a compound derived from the bark of Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, is an antimitotic cytotoxic agent with mechanism action different other antimitotics such as vincristine and vinblastine. Instead causing disassembly microtubules, paclitaxel forms extremely stable nonfunctional which causes inhibition many cell functions interruption cycle. Procurement has raised environmental concerns, leading researchers to explore variety approaches obtain drug: extraction yew needles precursor that can be converted paclitaxel, genetic manipulation plants increase yield, propagation trees, semisynthesis, total chemical synthesis, paclitaxel-producing fungus. Clinical trials involving have demonstrated antineoplastic effects in several classically refractory tumors: ovarian cancer, breast non-small-cell lung head neck tumors. Several toxic been attributed including hypersensitivity reactions, cardiotoxicities, neutropenia, peripheral neuropathy, mucositis, gastrointestinal toxicities, alopecia, arthralgias, myalgias. implications for these toxicities are addressed.