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Tasso in Herbalist: Property of the Rate

Scientific name

Taxus baccata

Family

Taxaceae

Origin

Europe, North America

Used Parts

Drug consisting of bark and leaves.

Chemical constituents

  • Flavonoids;
  • Polysaccharides;
  • Steroids;
  • Cyan genetic glucosides;
  • Taxol, triterpenoid alkloid;
  • Lignans.

Tasso in Herbalist: Property of the Rate

The badger is a substantially toxic plant. However, the taxol (or taxol) present in it is used in medicine as an anticancer drug.

This active ingredient has entered the international protocols for chemotherapy of some forms of breast and ovarian cancer.

Most likely, taxol is best known as paclitaxel.

Biological activity

As mentioned, the yew is a toxic plant that is not used in herbal medicine.

Its toxicity is due to the high concentrations of taxin present in the branches, leaves and seeds of the plant itself. The taxin, in fact, is a mixture of diterpene alkaloids with cardiotoxic action for both men and animals.

The taxol, on the other hand, has a marked antitumor activity, so much so that it has been isolated and still used as a drug against various types of neoplastic diseases, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and cancer. pancreas and Kaposi's sarcoma.

More in detail, this active principle belongs to the category of antimitotics and performs its action by promoting the polymerization of tubulin during the mitotic phase of the cell cycle. Thanks to this mechanism of action, taxol interferes with cell division and pushes cancer cells to undergo apoptosis.

Rate in folk medicine and homeopathy

Despite the high toxicity possessed, the rate in folk medicine has been used to treat ailments of various kinds, such as pharyngitis, tonsillitis and tapeworm infestations and to promote the menstrual cycle; but also to treat more serious diseases such as epilepsy and diphtheria.

Moreover, in the past, yew leaves have found use in folk medicine also as an abortive remedy.

In any case, due to its considerable toxicity, taking the rate should be avoided, especially during pregnancy.

In the homeopathic field, however, the badger is used as a remedy against poor digestion and against cutaneous pustules.

The badger can be found in homeopathic preparations mainly in the form of globules or solutions. The amount of product to be taken and the frequency with which to take it may vary depending on the homeopathic dilution used.

Side effects

In case of accidental rate poisoning, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, tachycardia, dizziness, abdominal pain, mydriasis, superficial breathing and loss of consciousness may occur, leading to death from cardiac arrest or asphyxia.

There are no antidotes for rate poisoning, but the administration of activated charcoal and / or gastric lavage could be useful.

Pharmacological Interactions

  • not known.

Warnings

The plant is used only taxol, extracted individually as an active ingredient, since all the other chemical components present make the rate extremely toxic.