Taxane Diterpenoids from the Root Bark of Taiwanese Yew Taxus Mairei

Abstract

Nineteen compounds including taxumairol R (1), taxinine M (2), taxacin (3), paclitaxel (4), 10‐deacetyltaxol A (5), 10‐deacetyl‐7‐epi‐taxol (6), 7‐epi‐taxol (7), taxol C, 10‐deacetyltaxol C, 7β‐xylosyl‐10‐deacetyltaxol (8), taxamairin A (9), taxinine A, 14β‐hydroxytaxusin (10), 5α‐hydroxy‐7β,9α,10β, 13α‐tetraacetoxy‐4(20), 11‐taxadiene, 1‐dehydroxybaccatin‐VI, 1β‐dehydroxybaccatin‐IV, baccatin IV, baccatin VI and ponasterone A have been isolated and identified from the root bark of Taxus mairei. Among them, compound 1 was a new taxoid and compounds 11 and 7β‐xylosyl‐10‐deacetyltaxol pentaacetate were new derivatives prepared from 14β‐hydroxytaxusin (10) and 8, respectively. Their structures and assignment were established on the basis of 2D‐NMR analysis and chemical methods.

Activation of the mitochondria-driven pathway of apoptosis in human PC-3 prostate cancer cells by a novel hydrophilic paclitaxel derivative, 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel

“…In the course of our systematic analysis of bioactive natural products from water extracts of Taxus chinensis, we have isolated 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel (10,11). In the present investigation, we showed that 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel reveals growth inhibitory activity against PC-3 cells, which is similar to that of paclitaxel at a fixed exposure time of 48 h.…”

“…Water decoctions from the leaves of T. chinensis are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer, indicating that water soluble constituents of this tree may indeed possess anticancer activity. In an effort to search for natural products from T. chinensis with improved pharmacological features compared to paclitaxel, 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel has been isolated and identified by our group (10,11). This is a naturally occurring xyloside, which has been shown to possess higher water solubility than paclitaxel (8,12).…”