Cancer Therapy and Canada Yew

The exotic plants found in tropical rainforests are the focus for much of the research into plant-based therapeutic drugs. Two-thirds of the world's plant species are found in these dynamic forests, an obvious place to look for new pharmaceuticals. Here where I live, in the mid-northern latitudes, our forests seem less dynamic. They are slow-growing, even dormant during the winter months. Hard to imagine that an exotic pharmaceutical could be found in these forests. But it turns out that one of the most powerful cancer therapies discovered comes from a very ordinary plant, a plant that lives in this snow-covered forest. It is autumn here in the Ottawa Valley. The forest floor is littered with leaves. This forest trail is transitioning from summer to winter. The striped maples now look like ghost trees, their bleached leaves swaying in the breeze. As leaves fall and the canopy opens up, light penetrates to the forest floor, illuminating the community of plants living at this level. An interesting and diverse collection of mosses, ferns, shrubs, and conifers. Being able to recognize and name the plants in a landscape like this is a wonderful skill. If you take the time to learn about the plants in your community, you'll be rewarded with some remarkable insights, including revelations about the complex relationships between plants and other living things. This small conifer, for instance, found in forested areas throughout northeastern North America, this humble plant plays a key role in our ongoing battle with cancer. This is Canada yew. To a botanist, it is Taxus canadensis. Canada yew produces a class of chemicals called taxanes. These complex molecules are found in the plant's bark and needles. One of these complex molecules, taxol, is a unique compound now commonly used in cancer therapy. It induces cell death by interfering with a critical step in cell division. Taxol has proven to be particularly effective against breast cancer. Taxanes are difficult to synthesize, so the plant itself remains the best factory for producing these chemotherapy drugs. Plantations of Taxus canadensis are now being cultivated in eastern Canada. These plantations are populated with plants selected for their high taxane content. This is an exciting and innovative way to use our forests. The bioeconomy emerging around activities like this helps to sustain rural economies. Canada yew is just one example of a plant producing an important pharmaceutical. A very significant percentage of over-the-counter and prescription drugs contain active ingredients extracted from plants. Undoubtedly, this forest floor nurses more pharmaceuticals waiting to be discovered. And aside to this story is the role that Canada yew is playing in protecting the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia. This rare and slow-growing conifer is found in the rainforest of Canada's west coast. Taxol was originally discovered in the Pacific yew. The demand for Taxol led to a devastating harvest of Pacific yew bark, a process that killed the plant. Taxus brevifolia was threatened with extinction until a new Taxol source was found in the faster-growing Canada yew. Amenable to a nursery environment, Canada yew has given the Pacific yew a reprieve from harvesting. If you find one of the yew species in your community, don't damage or harvest it. Not only are they slow to regenerate, but despite the presence of a beneficial cancer drug, the plant is toxic to humans and other animals. Do not eat any part of the plant. We have more life sciences related videos at our website, hileroad.com. Follow the videos link.