University of Isfahan Journal of Plant Biological Sciences 3041-9603 16 4 2025 02 19 Paclitaxel and other Anticancer Taxoids were Found in Oak Leaves Paclitaxel and other Anticancer Taxoids were Found in Oak Leaves 33 48 29525 10.22108/ijpb.2025.144645.1401 FA Mitra Jamshidi Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Ali Kasiri Bahnamiri Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Naba Najjar Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Atefeh Payez Department of Biological Science, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran Faezeh Ghanati Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 03 11 Diterpene alkaloid paclitaxel (with the trade name Taxol) and other taxoids are well-known anticancer drugs originally extracted from different Taxus spp. (Gymnosperm). The significant demand for paclitaxel prompted researchers to investigate taxoids in alternative species. Finding taxans in certain angiosperms like Corylus avelana and some endophyte fungi of Taxus and non-Taxus species brought the hypothesis that genes involved in paclitaxel production may have horizontally been transferred from Taxus sp. to other plants in their vicinity, through the mediation of microorganisms. The common habitats of certain oak species, i.e., Quercus brantii, Q. macranthera, and Q. castaneifolia with taxane-bearing plants in conserved regions of Iranian forests, promoted us to investigate the presence of taxoids in these species. The existence of paclitaxel, 10-deacetyl baccatin III, baccatin III, 10-deacetyl paclitaxel, cephalomannine, 7-epi 10 deacetyl paclitaxel, and 7-epi paclitaxel in oak leaf extracts was shown by HPLC and their structure were confirmed through LC-MS analysis. The cytotoxic potential of crude extracts was tested against Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK 293T) and Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. The results suggest that oak leaf can be introduced as a novel source of taxanes both for therapeutic utilization and as new precursors for upcoming paclitaxel semi-synthesis approaches. Diterpene alkaloid paclitaxel (with the trade name Taxol) and other taxoids are well-known anticancer drugs originally extracted from different Taxus spp. (Gymnosperm). The significant demand for paclitaxel prompted researchers to investigate taxoids in alternative species. Finding taxans in certain angiosperms like Corylus avelana and some endophyte fungi of Taxus and non-Taxus species brought the hypothesis that genes involved in paclitaxel production may have horizontally been transferred from Taxus sp. to other plants in their vicinity, through the mediation of microorganisms. The common habitats of certain oak species, i.e., Quercus brantii, Q. macranthera, and Q. castaneifolia with taxane-bearing plants in conserved regions of Iranian forests, promoted us to investigate the presence of taxoids in these species. The existence of paclitaxel, 10-deacetyl baccatin III, baccatin III, 10-deacetyl paclitaxel, cephalomannine, 7-epi 10 deacetyl paclitaxel, and 7-epi paclitaxel in oak leaf extracts was shown by HPLC and their structure were confirmed through LC-MS analysis. The cytotoxic potential of crude extracts was tested against Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK 293T) and Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. The results suggest that oak leaf can be introduced as a novel source of taxanes both for therapeutic utilization and as new precursors for upcoming paclitaxel semi-synthesis approaches.

https://ijpb.ui.ac.ir/article_29525_535450b784456c401c66529258ae7cfd.pdf