Abstract
A series of new taxoids, named taxuspines AβH and JβZ (1β25) and taxezopidines AβH and JβL (26β36), have been isolated together with 37 known taxoids (37β73) including paclitaxel (53) from the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. (Taxaceae). These new taxoids possess various skeletons containing 5/7/6, 6/10/6, 6/5/5/6, 6/8/6, or 6/12βmembered ring systems. Among the new taxoids, some nonβtaxolβtype compounds remarkably reduced CaCl~2~βinduced depolymerization of microtubules, or increased cellular accumulation of vincristine in multidrugβresistant tumor cells as potent as verapamil. On the other hand, chemical derivatization of taxinine (37), one of major taxoids obtained from this yew, led to the discovery of unusual reactions of taxinine derivatives. Here we describe our recent results on the isolation, structure elucidation, and bioactivity of these new and known taxoids and the formation of unexpected products of the unusual reactions of taxinine. Β© 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 22, No. 3, 305β328, 2002; Published online in wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/med.10005