1 Taxane
Taxol (general name paclitaxel) is the first microtubule-stabilizing drug of taxane family isolated from the yew root. In 1967, Mansukh Wani and Monroe Wall had isolated and identified the active ingredient from the bark of T. brevifolia  and named it taxol, basing on its species of origin and the presence of hydroxyl groups [10]. Taxol enters phase I clinical trials in 1894 and phase II clinical trials in 1895. In the United States, the Phase III clinical trial was completed in 7 years from 1983 and was approved by the FDA in 1992[11]. Taxol has been obtained by chemical semi-synthesis, total chemical synthesis, tissue and cell culture, microbial fermentation and biosynthesis. In 1995, docetaxel, the second member of the family was approved for medical use. Due to the poor water-solubility of paclitaxel before, solvent-increasing polyoxyethylene castor oil and anhydrous ethanol will be added when it is used [12]. As the solvent itself will cause severe allergic reactions, there were various limitations to clinical use.
Advances requires to be made because of various restrictions mentioned above. Currently, paclitaxel family includes traditional paclitaxel, paclitaxel liposome, paclitaxel nanoparticle albumin bound (NAB)(Abraxane) and docetaxel (Taxotere). Unlike other microtubule-stabilizing anticancer drugs which prevent the assembly of tubulin into microtubules, it is a microtubule stabilizer (anticontractile agent) and a mitotic inhibitor (antiproliferative agent) [10]. Paclitaxel promotes the assembly of tubulin to microtubules and prevents the dissociation of microtubules as well as blocks cell cycle progression, prevents mitosis, and inhibits the growth of cancer cells [11]. Thus, paclitaxel has become a widely accepted chemotherapeutic drug in the treatment of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and a variety of other malignant solid tumors [13].