From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The taxanes are NOT alkaloids (not every molecule coming from a plant and bearing a nitrogen is an alkaloid!). They are diterpenes produced by the plants of the genus Taxus (yews). They have been used to produce various chemotherapy drugs. They were first derived from, and are named after, ; some are now also synthesized artificially. Its members include paclitaxel and docetaxel. Paclitaxel was originally derived from the Pacific yew tree.
The principal mechanism of the taxane class is inhibition of microtubule function. The microtubules are stabilized by the taxanes. Microtubules are essential to cell division, and taxanes therefore stop cells from properly dividing. Treating dividing cells with taxanes leas (microscopally) to a "freezed mitosis". Taxanes are also felt to be radiosensitizing.
In Contrast to the taxanes, the vinca alkaloids destroy the mitose spindle apparatus. Both, taxanes and vinca alkaloids are named spindle poisons or mitosis poisons.
[edit] External links
| Chemotherapeutic agents/Antineoplastic agents (L01) edit - Chemotherapy regimens
|
| Alkylating agents: |
Nitrogen mustards: (
Chlorambucil,
Chlormethine,
Cyclophosphamide,
Ifosfamide,
Melphalan).
Nitrosoureas: (
Carmustine,
Fotemustine,
Lomustine,
Streptozocin).
Platinum: (
Carboplatin,
Cisplatin,
Oxaliplatin,
BBR3464).
Busulfan,
Dacarbazine,
Mechlorethamine,
Procarbazine,
Temozolomide,
ThioTEPA,
Uramustine
|
| Antimetabolites: |
Folic acid: (
Methotrexate,
Pemetrexed,
Raltitrexed).
Purine: (
Cladribine,
Clofarabine,
Fludarabine,
Mercaptopurine,
Tioguanine).
Pyrimidine: (
Capecitabine).
Cytarabine,
Fluorouracil,
Gemcitabine
|
| Plant alkaloids: |
Taxane: (
Docetaxel,
Paclitaxel).
Vinca: (
Vinblastine,
Vincristine,
Vindesine,
Vinorelbine).
|
| Cytotoxic/antitumor antibiotics: |
Anthracycline family: (Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Idarubicin, Mitoxantrone, Valrubicin).
Bleomycin,
Hydroxyurea,
Mitomycin
|
| Topoisomerase inhibitors: |
Topotecan,
Irinotecan, Podophyllum: (
Etoposide,
Teniposide).
|
| Monoclonal antibodies: |
Alemtuzumab,
Bevacizumab,
Cetuximab,
Gemtuzumab,
Panitumumab,
Rituximab,
Trastuzumab
|
| Photosensitizers: |
Aminolevulinic acid,
Methyl aminolevulinate,
Porfimer sodium,
Verteporfin
|
| Kinase inhibitors: |
Dasatinib,
Erlotinib,
Gefitinib,
Imatinib,
Lapatinib,
Nilotinib,
Sorafenib,
Sunitinib,
Vandetanib (ZD6474)
|
| Other: |
Alitretinoin,
Altretamine,
Amsacrine,
Anagrelide,
Arsenic trioxide,
Asparaginase,
Bexarotene,
Bortezomib,
Denileukin diftitox,
Estramustine,
Hydroxycarbamide,
Pentostatin,
Masoprocol,
Mitotane,
Pegaspargase,
Tretinoin
|
de:Taxane
fr:Taxane
pl:Taksyna
