title: Taxanes from Shells and Leaves of Corylus avellana.
abstract: Paclitaxel is an effective antineoplastic agent originally extracted in low yield from the bark of Taxus brevifolia. Although it was generally considered a particular metabolite of Taxus sp., paclitaxel was recently found in hazel cell cultures. The aim of the present work was to verify whether hazel differentiated tissues could be used as a commercial source of paclitaxel and other taxanes. Thus, shells and leaves of hazel plants were analyzed by ELISA and HPLC-MS. Both shell and leaf extracts contained taxanes. Among these, paclitaxel, 10-deacetylbaccatin III, baccatin III, paclitaxel C, and 7-epipaclitaxel were identified and quantified. Hazel extracts also showed biological activity, inhibiting metaphase to anaphase transition in a human tumor cell line. The level of total taxanes in leaves was higher than in shells collected in the same period from the same plants. However, the finding of these compounds in shells, which are considered discarded material and are mass produced by many food industries, is of interest for the future availability of paclitaxel and other antineoplastic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Oncology, National Institute for Cancer Research, IST, Genova, Italy. laura.ottaggio@istge.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ottaggio
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bestoso
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armirotti
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balbi
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Damonte
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sancandi
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miele
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D043823:Taxoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020946:Taxus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; C042213:10-deacetylbaccatine III; D017239:Paclitaxel