Specifications:
Names: Taxus wallichiana ZUCC. (Taxaceae); synomym: Taxus baccata subsp. Wallichiana,
Himalayan yew.

Description: Small to medium-sized evergreen tree, with red (seeds covered by arils).
Individual trees are either male or female.

Geographical distribution: Asia from Afghanistan through the Himalayas to the Philippines.

Habitat: Temperate moist forests,1,500-3,500 M.

Parts used: Leaves and bark. Young branches are used as fodder in Pakistan. The foliage and
Seeds are toxic. The aril (but not the poisonous seed) is eaten.

Uses:
        Originally, the Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) from the north-west US, has entered the Halls
Of Fame because research into its chemistry resulted in the discovery of the now well-known anticancer
Drug taxol. The active compound pacilitaxel was first isolated from its bark in 1969. This
Was followed by development of a drug by the pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb,
Subsequently patented under the name taxol. Clinical trials have shown a 56 per cent success rate
In treating breast cancer and a 30 per cent success rate in treating ovarian cancer. Taxol taken in
Combination with other drugs increased the response rate to more than 60 per cent (Phillips et AL.
1998).