paclitaxel

noun pac·li·tax·el \ˌpa-kli-ˈtak-s^əl\

Definition of PACLITAXEL

: an antineoplastic drug C₄₇H₅₁NO₁₄ originally derived from the bark of the Pacific yew but now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew and used to treat ovarian cancer

Origin of PACLITAXEL

Pacific yew + -litax- (perhaps from Taxus brevifolia) + -el (alteration of ¹-ol or ³-ol)

First Known Use: 1992

Medical Dictionary

paclitaxel

noun pac·li·tax·el \ˌpak-li-ˈtak-səl\

Medical Definition of PACLITAXEL

: an antineoplastic agent C₄₇H₅₁NO₁₄ that was originally derived from the bark of a yew tree (Taxus brevifolia of the family Taxaceae) of the western United States and British Columbia but that is now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew (T. baccata) and is used to treat ovarian cancer which has not responded to conventional chemotherapy—see taxol