Paclitaxel is a diterpene alkaloid originally isolated from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree . It binds to and stabilizes microtubules, preventing their reorganization during cell division, which leads to cell cycle arrest. Paclitaxel has antitumorigenic properties and has been used as a chemotherapeutic compound . Many pathways have been implicated in Paclitaxel-induced apoptosis, including c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase , p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase , and protein kinase A .
