**5.3. Research carried out**

**Figure 5.** Examples of terpenoid structures.

**Table 2.** Classification of terpenoids.

32 Phytochemicals - Source of Antioxidants and Role in Disease Prevention

**5. Case 1. Exploring new ways: Taxol**

terpenoids.

**5.1. Taxol**

acid pathway, depending on the class of terpenoids in question [29]. **Table 2** shows the classification of the terpenoids, with respect to the number of isoprene units they contain, as well as an example of each type of terpenoid and **Figure 5** shows some structures of

Among the metabolites with greater interest are the toxoids, these are secondary metabolites that are synthesized by the *Taxus* spp. They are found in the foliage and bark of this tree. The main taxoid of pharmacological interest is Taxol; a polyoxygenated diterpene alkaloid approved by the Office of the Administration of Drugs and Foods. This taxoid is used in the Several researches have been developed with the aim of finding new sources to obtain Taxol. But it has only been isolated from trees of the *Taxus* species. **Table 3** shows the percentage of yield obtained from the Taxol extractions of the different species of the *Taxus* spp., as well as the analysis of the different parts of the species.

Based on the previous table of contents, another taxonomic species was investigated such as *Taxodium mucronatum*. The *Taxodium mucronatum* belongs to the Cupressacea which is a gymnosperm. They are large trees over 25 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter from the trunk at chest height. Its leaves are small, elongated and grouped in twigs, in autumn the leaves turn reddish and fall.

The new shoots appear in spring. They can be distinguished at a distance by their dense foliage and their hanging branches, and they are always close to the water or in places with shallow water table (**Figure 7**).

They are distributed from Texas (USA) to Guatemala, but its presence is larger in Mexico. Best known as Ahuehuete tree, which comes from Nahuatl "atl" which means water and "huehuetl" which means old or grandfather, so the whole meaning is "old" of the water" [29–31]. The reason to choose this species, in addition to being abundant from North America to South America, this tree species has many similar characteristics to the species of *Taxus*, which makes it a potential source of Taxol.

The plant material from *Taxodium mucronatum* was collected by members of the Biotechnology laboratory of the Technological Institute of Celaya, from the community of Chamacuaro located on the outskirts of the municipality of Salvatierra in the state of Guanajuato, on the banks of the Lerma river. We proceeded to separate the plant material (branches, fruits and leaves), then dried under pressure and room temperature.

**Species of** *Taxus* **Trivial name Part of the tree Taxol (% of dry weight) Year** *T. brevifolia* Yew of the pacific Cortex 0.0075–0.01 1986 *T. brevifolia* Yew of the pacific Leaves 0.0081 1992 *T. wallichiana* Yew of the Himalayas Cortex 0.0108 1981 *T. baccata* European yew Cortex 0.0165 1984 *T. baccata* European yew Leaves 0.0088 1992 *T. cuspidata* Japanese shuffle Leaves 0.0077 1992 *T. media* Yew of Sumatra Leaves 0.0056 1992 *T. floridiana* Florida yew Leaves 0.006 1992 *T. globosa* Mexican Tejo Cortex 0.0085 2000 *T. globosa* Mexican Tejo Leaves 0.013 2000 *T. globosa* Mexican Tejo Stem 0.0064 2000 *T. globosa* Mexican Tejo Sheet 0.0121 2003

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**Table 3.** Obtaining Taxol from the different species of *Taxus* [6].

**Figure 7.** *Taxodium mucronatum.*

**Figure 6.** Taxol biosynthetic pathway.

Introduction to Phytochemicals: Secondary Metabolites from Plants with Active Principles… http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78226 35


**Table 3.** Obtaining Taxol from the different species of *Taxus* [6].

**Figure 7.** *Taxodium mucronatum.*

**Figure 6.** Taxol biosynthetic pathway.

34 Phytochemicals - Source of Antioxidants and Role in Disease Prevention

**Figure 8.** Fruits and leaves of *Taxodium mucronatum.*

They were used 300 g of dry leaves of *Taxodium mucronatum*. Milled with methanol, which were later packed for extraction in a glass column, where methanol was passed until the material was used up.

The study was also carried out with fruit, for which 467 g of fresh fruits of *Taxodium muncronatum* (**Figure 8**) were milled with methanol, which were subsequently packed for extraction in a glass column, where methanol was passed until the material was exhausted. The extractives were evaporated at reduced pressure in a rotary rotator at a temperature of 50°C.
