Paclitaxel (PTX), sold under the brand name Taxol among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancer.[3] This includes ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma, cervical cancer, and pancreatic cancer.[3] It is given by injection into a vein.[3] There is also an albumin-bound formulation.[3]
Common side effects include hair loss, bone marrow suppression, numbness, allergic reactions, muscle pains, and diarrhea.[3] Other serious side effects include heart problems, increased risk of infection, and lung inflammation.[3] There are concerns that use during pregnancy may cause birth defects.[4][3] Paclitaxel is in the taxane family of medications.[5] It works by interference with the normal function of microtubules during cell division.[3]
Paclitaxel was first isolated in 1971 from the Pacific yew and approved for medical use in 1993.[6][7] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[8] It has been made from precursors, and more recently through cell culture.[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paclitaxel
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