Goined during the 1960s by Monroe E. Wall when it was originally isolated from the Pacific yew tree (genus Taxus) this word is now a trademark of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Go. Taxol now refers to the anticancer preparation sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb Gompany. The active compound from Pacific yew tree is now known as paclitaxel.
A chemical which is undergoing intensive study as a promising treatment for certain cancers. It has attracted a good deal of attention in the media because it is obtained from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. Each tree from which the bark is obtained dies, and environmentalists are concerned. The U.S. Forest Service has authorized (1991) the harvesting of 38,000 trees each year, a rate which will deplete the forest of its Pacific yew trees by about 1 % in five years. Vigorous efforts are being made to synthesize the drug so that, if it proves a valuable treatment, trees will not have to be sacrificed.