Can the stems of Taxus chinensis be soaked in water?
Taxodiaceae: Taxodiaceae.
Alias: yew, cypress
Genus: Taxus chinensis
History: It is recognized as a rare and endangered natural anticancer plant in the world. The ancient tree species left over from Quaternary glaciers have a history of 2.5 million years on the earth.
Development value: Evergreen needles and exotic red bean fruits with big cherries are rare and endangered plants left over from the 4th century glaciers. Rare in the world, it is listed as a national key protected plant. Their wood is very good, red and bright, tough and durable, and it is a precious timber tree species. Especially because it contains paclitaxel, a specific anticancer drug, it is very precious. This magical drug is the best anticancer drug in the world after adriamycin and cisplatin. It is the best-selling and hottest new anticancer drug in the international market so far, and it is also the last line of defense for patients with advanced cancer, which has high development and utilization value.
Ecological habit
Taxus cuspidata is suitable for planting in north and south. It has the characteristics of liking shade, drought tolerance and cold tolerance. The soil PH is required to be 5.5 ~ 7.0, which can be interplanted with other tree species or orchards. Management is simple. Among them, Taxus cuspidata is an ancient tree species left over from the Quaternary Glacier, which has survived on the earth for more than 2.5 million years under harsh climatic conditions. It not only has developed lateral roots, lush foliage and strong germination, but also adapts to a wide range of climate, requires wide soil quality, and is resistant to pruning, cold and insect pests. But also can grow into towering trees, and some plants can even grow for thousands of years, which can be used as medicinal varieties and green varieties. In folklore, Taxus cuspidata is known as the "sacred tree of geomantic omen".
morphological character
Taxus is an evergreen tree with DBH 1 m and a height of 20m. It has very special requirements for the small environment where it grows. It can only be seen in the deep mountains and forests at an altitude of 2500-3000 meters, and it takes 50-250 years to become a timber.
The origin of the name
Plants such as Taxus chinensis have become hot stars in the plant world in recent years. Because paclitaxel can be extracted, it is an internationally recognized anticancer agent and a national first-class protected tree species. The red beans of Taxus chinensis are the same as the acacia beans in the south, and they are red outside and bright inside, which can support people's acacia. Taxus chinensis is also named after the same fruit as red beans, so it is named Taxus chinensis.
classify
Taxus classification
Distribution and species of Taxus in China;
Except Austrotaxus Spicata from Australia, which is produced in the southern hemisphere, all other yews are produced in the northern hemisphere. There are 4 species of Taxus in China. China 1 is distributed in most parts of China. Taxus cuspidata is mainly distributed in Changbai Mountain in Jilin Province and Heilongjiang Province, with a small amount in the eastern mountainous area of Liaoning Province. Taxus yunnanensis is mainly distributed in western Yunnan and Dizhou 16 county, with a total area of about 90,000 square kilometers. It is characterized by wide distribution, scattered growth and no pure forest, and most of the forests are scattered trees. Taxus chinensis var. mairei is mainly distributed in pure forests in eastern Yunnan, southwestern Yunnan and eastern Yunnan, and most of them are scattered trees in the forests. Taxus tibetica is mainly distributed in northwest Yunnan, south and southeast Tibet.
Efficacy of Taxus chinensis: diuresis, detumescence, treatment of nephropathy, diabetes, nephritis edema, dysuria, gonorrhea, etc. Warming kidney and dredging channels, treating irregular menstruation, postpartum blood stasis, dysmenorrhea and other effective effects.
Taxus species ii
Taxus around the world can be divided into 1 1 species according to their growing areas and biological characteristics. Australia's AUSTROTAXUS SPICATA is produced in the southern hemisphere and distributed in the temperate and subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere. There are 4 species 1 varieties in China.
1, Taxus cuspidata STEB. ET IUCC is mainly distributed in Changbai Mountain in Jilin Province and Heilongjiang Province, and a small amount is distributed in the eastern mountainous area of Liaoning Province.
Taxus cuspidata
Latin name: Taxus cuspidata
Plant name: Taxus cuspidata
Scientific name: Taxus cuspidata
Other names: yew, cypress, cypress, yew, rice tree, etc.
Family name: Taxodiaceae
Latin name: Taxaceae
Genus name: Taxus chinensis
Taxus cuspidata is one of the four varieties of 1 in China. The other three varieties of 1 are Taxus yunnanensis, Taxus tibetica, Taxus China and Taxus mairei.
[Distribution area]
Mainly distributed in northeast China, Japan, North Korea, Russia (Amur, Sakhalin, etc. ) and northeast Asia. Such as eastern Liaoning and Jilin.
Temperate coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest areas (major cities: Harbin, Mudanjiang, Hegang, Jixi, Shuangyashan, Yichun, Jiamusi, Changchun, Siping, Yanji, Fushun, Tieling and Benxi)
[Morphological characteristics]
The height of the tree is 20m, DBH 1 m. Crown obovate or broadly ovoid. Bark is reddish brown or grayish red, thin and flaky. Dense branches, reddish-brown branchlets, dark green annual branches, reddish-brown after autumn. The leaves on the main branch are spirally arranged, and the petiole base on the side branch is twisted left and right, arranged in two irregular rows. The leaves are linear, semi-straight or slightly curved, with a length of1.5 ~ 2.5cm and a width of 2.5mm. The surface is dark green and shiny. Dioecious, peanuts are located in the axils of branches of the previous year. The male flower has 9~ 14 stamens, and the female flower has an ovule, which is ovoid, reddish and erect. The seeds are ovoid, purple-brown when mature, shiny, about 6 mm long and 5 mm in diameter. The upper part of the aril is open, oval, cup-shaped, red and juicy when mature. The flowering period is May-June, and the seeds mature in September-65438+1October.
[biological characteristics]
Habitat is shade-tolerant, and it can also grow under dense forests, and it is not a forest all the year round. It is more common in coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests dominated by Korean pine. Born on rocky or barren soil on the mountain, it is mostly shrub-like. The annual average temperature in the country of origin is 2 to 7 degrees Celsius, and the annual average precipitation is 750 ~1000 mm.. Most of them are scattered under wet and fertile coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests on shady or semi-shady slopes. Sexual preference for cool and humid climate, resistance to low temperature below minus 30 degrees Celsius, strong cold resistance, optimum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius, avoiding sudden heat, sudden cooling and air drying, belonging to negative tree species. Like wet but afraid of waterlogging, it is suitable for planting on loose, wet and well-drained sandy loam.
[growth area]
Taxus cuspidata is a tree species in Northeast China, which is adapted to grow in Northeast China, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai and other areas north of the Yangtze River.
[Annual growth rate]
The plant height of Taxus cuspidata grew slowly in the first three years, and the annual growth was about 10- 15 cm. After transplanting for one year, the growth is accelerated, and the annual growth of seedlings over three years can reach 20-30cm.
[Appearance characteristics]
The characteristic of Taxus cuspidata is that the twigs of trees turn yellow-green or reddish brown in autumn. Its leaves are in two rows, slightly curved and sickle-shaped. It looks like a ball at close range and a flower at a distance, which is beautiful.
[growing habit]
Negative, like cold and humid climate, shallow root system, afraid of waterlogging, avoid salt and alkali.
[medicinal value]
Use stems, branches, leaves and roots as medicine. The main components contain paclitaxel, taxane and diterpenoids. Has anticancer effect, and has effects in inhibiting diabetes and treating heart disease. According to the identification of authoritative departments and related reports, Taxus chinensis in China has a certain content when extracting taxol, especially Taxus cuspidata growing in special environment, and the highest content can reach three ten thousandths (according to A.G.F.Neto). Unique climatic conditions are conducive to the deposition of substances in plants. If Taxus cuspidata is moved to the south properly, the growth period can be increased, the growth environment can be improved, the synthesis of effective components in the body can be facilitated, and the content and quality can be improved.
[green browsing]
Taxus cuspidata is not only a rare medicinal plant, but also a good product for gardens, courtyard greening and beautification. It is the most precious and rare advanced greening tree species at present. The unique ornamental value of bonsai is another major feature of Taxus cuspidata. The bonsai of Taxus cuspidata treated by dwarfing technology is simple and elegant in shape, with compact but not dense branches and leaves, stretching but not loose. Red stems, red branches, green leaves and red beans make them have multiple ornamental values of ornamental stems, branches, leaves and fruits. Smooth red stems represent magnanimity and nobility, evergreen needles express perseverance and eternity, and red beans shaped like "acacia beans" show love and yearning. The whole plant is exquisitely sculpted, extraordinary and free from vulgarity, and has a strong flavor of life and cultural heritage. Taxus cuspidata resources are scarce, and it is listed as a national first-class rare protected tree species.
2. Taxus yunnanensis is mainly distributed in 16 counties in western Yunnan and Dizhou, with a total area of about 90,000 square axioms. It is characterized by wide distribution, scattered growth, no pure forest and scattered trees in the forest.
3. Tamarix 3.IUCC is mainly distributed in northwest Yunnan, southern Tibet and southwest China.
4. Taxus China (. Penaeus China
5. Taxus mairei is mainly distributed in pure forests in eastern Yunnan, southwestern Yunnan and eastern Yunnan, and most of the rest are scattered trees.
6. Taxus media is a hybrid introduced to China at the end of 20th century. Its female parent is Taxus cuspidata and its male parent is Taxus barkeri. It has only 80 years of history in the United States and Canada. Taxus media is mostly shrub type, because it can only grow into shrubs, but not trees, so it is a good variety for greening.
On a global scale, although yew is distributed in the United States, Canada, France, India, Myanmar and China, yew in Asia has the largest reserves. Among them, China's yew reserves account for more than half of the global reserves, and among the 1 1 varieties, there are five in China.
Medicinal value
Taxol, a new source of anticancer drug, is an effective and commonly used anticancer drug, but it can only be collected from the needle-like leaves of an endangered plant at present, and the demand for this drug is likely to exceed the production capacity of this tree. Recently, researchers announced at a meeting of the American Chemical Society that they had isolated this compound from hazel trees and fungi. This discovery may provide enough new sources for the drug, and may also greatly reduce its cost. Paclitaxel, also known as paclitaxel, is one of the most popular cancer drugs in the world. It is used to treat uterine cancer and breast cancer, and many breast cancer patients still take it to prevent the recurrence of cancer. Although the supply of this drug is still sufficient, the demand may increase soon: researchers are testing the efficacy of this drug for Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and other cancers. If the drug is really effective for the above diseases, then the drug will become in short supply. Because the drug is extracted from the needles of Taxus Pacific and then processed. Taxus Pacific is an endangered plant, which grows on the Pacific northwest coast of North America. Angela Hoffman, a chemist at Portland University in Oregon, USA, has been looking for ways to increase the yield of taxol in Taxus chinensis. Unexpectedly, she found a new source of the compound in another completely unrelated research topic. She and her colleagues were studying hazel trees, trying to find out why some hazel trees were more susceptible to Fusarium wilt. The disease destroyed hazel trees in Willamette Valley, Oregon. The researchers extracted extracts from several hazel trees and purified and analyzed these samples. Hoffman found the chemical characteristics of paclitaxel in it. Hoffman and her colleagues found that the leaves, branches and fruits of hazelnut contain paclitaxel, although the content is only 10% of that of Taxus chinensis. They also found that fungi growing on hazel trees can also produce paclitaxel. David Hawke said that in the end, the discovery of fungi may be the most valuable. David Hawke is a natural product expert in a pharmaceutical company in Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. He said that yew also contains taxol-producing fungi. Hawke stressed that if the drug can be produced in vats with fungi, "it will definitely be valuable."
The medicinal value of Taxus chinensis mainly lies in its extract-secondary metabolic derivative-paclitaxel. According to the research results of Dr. Fang (Fang-1997 graduated from Peking Union Medical College and studied under Professor Liang), paclitaxel was originally isolated from the bark of Taxus brevifolia as an anti-tumor active ingredient. It is one of the best drugs for the treatment of metastatic ovarian cancer and breast cancer, and also has obvious curative effect on lung cancer and esophageal cancer, and has obvious inhibitory effect on nephritis and parvovirus inflammation. The anti-cancer mechanism of paclitaxel is that paclitaxel can bind to trace proteins, promote their polymerization, inhibit the mitosis of cancer cells and effectively prevent the proliferation of cancer cells.
In order to reduce the damage to wild Taxus resources, people began to extract the precursor compound 10- deacetylbaccatin ⅲ from the branches and leaves of Taxus chinensis, and then semi-synthesized it to prepare medicinal taxol. Paclitaxel is a broad-spectrum and powerful anticancer drug recognized in the world at present, which has a unique anticancer mechanism.
The earliest report abroad was 197 1 extracting paclitaxel from Taxus chinensis in the United States, and 1992 was approved for clinical use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has been proved to be effective for a variety of cancers, especially ovarian cancer and breast cancer, with a cure rate of 33% and an effective rate of 75%.
On the other hand, on a global scale, countries around the world gradually accept the treatment methods and principles of traditional medicine (traditional medicine refers to the medical methods to protect and restore health before the emergence of modern medicine). China has a long history in traditional medicine, such as anesthesia, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
Appraised by authoritative departments and related reports, China yew has a certain content in refined taxol. The content of Taxus cuspidata and Taxus mairei is higher, and the content of Taxus cuspidata with special growth environment is the highest (the content can reach two ten thousandths). The unique climatic conditions are favorable for the deposition of plant dry matter. If Taxus cuspidata is moved to the south properly, the growth period can be increased, the growth environment can be improved, the synthesis of effective components in plants can be facilitated, and the content and quality can be improved.
At present, there are three ways to obtain paclitaxel: 1. Natural extraction, 2. Synthetic, 3. Semi-synthetic and 4. Biological fermentation. The latter three methods mostly stay in the laboratory stage.
(1) Taxol biosynthesis;
The molecular formula of paclitaxel is C47H5 1NO 14, which is a natural secondary metabolite with terpenoid cyclic structure. It is mainly composed of taxane ring and side chain. It is of great significance to study its biosynthesis to improve the synthesis efficiency, clone combination, form key enzyme genes and increase the yield of paclitaxel. At present, the key is whether we can find one or two key enzymes and purify and clone their genes. It remains to be seen whether the cloning of Taxus gene can be broken through, but the imaginative way people have found is still in the laboratory stage.
(2) Chemical synthesis of paclitaxel
According to research and reports, the activity of 10- deacetylbaccatin ⅲ isolated from Taxus plants is obviously lower than that of paclitaxel, but it can be extracted from Taxus needles. This substance can synthesize paclitaxel through four chemical processes. Great progress has been made in solving the new source of paclitaxel. The American research team led by Dr. NICOLAOU reported the results of total synthesis of paclitaxel by chemical methods in 1994. However, chemical synthesis has not completely broken through in essence and has no application value at present.
(2) Microbial synthesis of paclitaxel
STTERLE et al. isolated a parasitic fungus (Taxomyces andarea) from the phloem of Taxus brevifolia, which can produce taxol and related hydrocarbons in a specific culture medium, but the current yield is extremely low and cannot be used for production. Recombinant DNA technology is expected to improve the yield of paclitaxel.
Besides bark, root is the organ with the highest taxol content. People use Agrobacterium rhizogenes to soak the explants of Taxus plants to induce rooting. This method does not need exogenous hormones, the hair roots grow rapidly and the genetic traits are stable, so it is paid attention to. If we can find a way to synthesize paclitaxel or its similar derivatives, combine the key enzymes obtained by microbial synthesis with the cloning of Taxus related genes, we can make a breakthrough in this method.
With the introduction of the 5th Beijing Biomedical Development Forum, the general development process of extracting paclitaxel from plants is as follows:
Since the 1960s, the discovery of new anticancer drugs mainly comes from the metabolites of primitive plants, that is, several anticancer chemotherapy reagents currently used, which are not compounds extracted from higher plants.
Such as "Catharanthus roseus alkaloids" isolated from Catharanthus roseus.
"Epipodophyllotoxin" derivatives isolated from podophyllum.
Camptothecin derivatives isolated from Camptotheca acuminata
So far, the component of "Taxus chinensis Bunge" separated from Taxus chinensis Bunge has been obtained.
Related technologies and equipment for extracting paclitaxel;
1. Key technologies and related data of extracting taxol from Taxus chinensis.
2. Precise determination methods, quality standards and related data of paclitaxel content.
3. Impurity removal and ultra-clean equipment.
4. HPLC and HPLC analytical columns, etc.
Several antitumor drugs made from paclitaxel;
1. Zhenqing powder
A broad-spectrum anticancer drug developed by Hebei Taxus Chinese Herbal Medicine Co., Ltd. for the treatment of advanced cancer-pure Chinese medicine.
2. Dax
Heilongjiang Taxus Technology Co., Ltd. produces broad-spectrum anticancer drugs for treating parvovirus inflammation such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
3. Taxus chinensis capsules
Produced by Chongqing Sino Company, it is a pure Chinese medicine for the treatment of advanced cancer, which is developed by adsorption extraction and dispersion preparation.
4. plante
A broad-spectrum anticancer drug for promoting tubulin polymerization and making it difficult to depolymerize. Thereby inhibiting the division of cancer cells. Has obvious curative effect on cervical cancer, breast cancer, small cell lung cancer and melanoma.
5. Squibb Company of the United States: paclitaxel intravenous injection or infusion.
6. A new compound paclitaxel preparation produced by European Squibb and Roche multinational company is used to treat refractory advanced breast cancer and semi-systemic (cancer cell) disseminated diseases, bringing good news to many advanced breast cancers.
Taxus chinensis is very toxic. Without the guidance of a doctor, serious side effects such as inhibition of hematopoietic function of bone marrow and leukopenia may occur after long-term consumption in large quantities. Taxus chinensis is not a new resource food. In the Notice of the Ministry of Health on Further Standardizing the Management of Health Food Raw Materials, the Ministry of Health listed Taxus chinensis on the list of prohibited health food items, and prohibited the use of Taxus chinensis as health food and food raw materials.
The poisoning manifestations of people who eat yew by mistake mainly include dizziness, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, diffuse abdominal pain and muscle weakness. In severe cases, bradycardia, cardiac arrest or death occurred, and pathological examination showed changes such as pulmonary edema, myocardial hemorrhage and myocarditis.