(Phys.org)—Taxol is the most well-known anti-cancer drug,and has proven remarkably effective against a variety of cancers since the 1970s. It's a natural substance, derived from the bark of yew trees, and as such,its molecular structure is remarkably complex and accounts for its mechanism of action: In 1977, a study revealed that Taxol can bind to the microtubule assembly of a cell, or stabilizing the microtubules,which prevents shrinkage and prevents the segregation of chromosomes that accompanies gradual cell division.
Source: phys.org