Where does taxol come from?As you already know by now, taxol is obtained from the yew tree. Originally, it was obtained from the barks of the Pacific yew tree, since that was where it was first discovered in. However, it quickly proved to be highly inefficient. So, taxol is now obtained from the needles of the English yew tree. Yew tree were never grown specifically to obtain taxol since they grow on a glacial scale and so, are impossible to grow in a farm/plantation.
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About the Pacific Yew TreeThe pacific yew tree (taxus brevifolia) is a conifer that is native to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is a relatively slow growing plant, growing about 8 inches every year. The highest taxol concentration lies in its bark. However, when the bark is stripped, the tree dies. This made scientists realize that extracting taxol from this tree is highly inefficient. So, it was never grown or harvest commercially at large scale.
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About the English Yew TreeThe english yew tree (taxus baccata) is conifer that is native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa,
northern Iran and southwest Asia. Just like the pacific yew, the
English yew is also slow growing. However, it is known for its longevity. Some English yew tree are estimated to
be 2000 to 4000 years old, which easily makes it the longest living plant in
Europe.
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