Madagascar periwinkle and Pacific yew Lizz Cuzzacrea
http://www.cag.uconn.edu/plsc/plsc/images/Pretty_in_rose.jpg
http://oregonstate.edu/trees/conifer_genera/spp/image_big/pyew45.jpg
Slide 2
Madagascar periwinkle Scientific name : Catharanthus roseus
Common and other names: Rose Periwinkle, Periwinkle, Vinca,
Old-Maid, Ammocallis rosea, Cape Periwinkle, Chang Chu Hua,
Church-Flower, Lochnera rosea, Magdalena, Myrtle, Pervenche de
Madagascar, Ram-Goat Rose, Ratanjot, Red Periwinkle Used to be
known as Vinca rosea
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/plants/apocynaceae/images/enb04741.jpg
Slide 3
Classification Kingdom Plantae PlantsPlantae Subkingdom
Tracheobionta Vascular plantsTracheobionta Superdivision
Spermatophyta Seed plantsSpermatophyta Division Magnoliophyta
Flowering plantsMagnoliophyta Class Magnoliopsida
DicotyledonsMagnoliopsida Subclass AsteridaeAsteridae Order
GentianalesGentianales Family Apocynaceae Dogbane familyApocynaceae
Genus Catharanthus G. Don periwinkleCatharanthus G. Don Species
Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don Madagascar periwinkleCatharanthus
roseus (L.) G. Don
Slide 4
Origin : Madagascar Cultivated throughout the tropics and
subtropics Grown commercially for its medicinal uses
Weed or invasive plant Perennial and annual Leaves - glossy,
green, oval Height - ~10 in Flowers - pink, rose, or white Sun
exposure - direct light or sun Soil - no rich soils
Drought-tolerant Humidity/ temperature moderate humidity and
average temps. Poisonous
Slide 8
Medicinal Uses before modern research India - wasp sting Hawaii
- stop bleeding Central America and parts of South America - sore
throats, chest disorders, and laryngitis Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica
and other islands - eyewash Africa - menorrhagia and rheumatism
Surinamese - diabetes Bahamas, Vietnam, Curacao and Bermuda
Slide 9
Scientific Research Began in mid-1950s World War II Found
several toxic alkaloids Two anti-cancer alkaloids: vinblastine and
vincristine
Slide 10
Vinblastine and Vincristine Dr. Gordon Svoboda with Lilly
Corporation Velban and Oncovin Hodgkins disease and leukemia
Prognosis Synthetic versions
How the alkaloids work Prevents mitosis Bind to tubulin
Prevents formation of spindles
Slide 13
Threat and Conservation Madagascar forests Widely established
Grown commercially Direct conservation is low priority Powerful
medicinal plant
Slide 14
Pacific yew Scientific name : Taxus brevifolia Common and other
names: Western yew 7 species worldwide
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/images/8137/8137coverimagesmall.jpg
Slide 15
Classification Kingdom Plantae PlantsPlantae Subkingdom
Tracheobionta Vascular plantsTracheobionta Superdivision
Spermatophyta Seed plantsSpermatophyta Division Coniferophyta
ConifersConiferophyta Class PinopsidaPinopsida Order TaxalesTaxales
Family Taxaceae Yew familyTaxaceae Genus Taxus L. yewTaxus L.
Species Taxus brevifolia Nutt. Pacific yewTaxus brevifolia
Nutt.
Slide 16
Origin : Pacific Coast of North America Southern Oregon and
northern California Southeast Alaska Idaho
Wide variety of uses before modern research Archery bows Canoe
paddles Tool handles Gunstocks Boat decking Furniture Musical
instruments Carved figurines Fence posts Toko poles Native
tribes
Slide 22
Scientific research 1962 Arthur Barclay collects Pacific yew
stem, bark, and fruit 1964 More bark collected and sent to Monroe
Wall 1966 Taxol is isolated from bark 1971 Molecular structure is
published 1979 Susan Horowitz 1983-1998 National Cancer Institure
and Bristol-Myers Squibb
How it works Prevents replication Binds to microtubules
Inhibits depolymerization Inhibits breakdown of mitotic spindle
Cancer cant spread
Slide 25
Threat and conservation Slow growth Bark is thin Many trees to
treat one patient Other species Overharvesting Yew bug mite Finite
resource Continue research
Slide 26
References Cancerbusters. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Catharanthus/index.html
Catharanthus roseus. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
Floridata: http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/cath_ros.cfm Catharanthus
roseus (Madagascar periwinkle). (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011,
from Kew: http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Catharanthus-roseus.htm
Catharanthus roseus. (2011). Retrieved January 2011, from National
Tropical Botanical Garden:
http://www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?rid=413&plantid=2497
Chemotherapy Drugs. (2005). Retrieved January 2011, from Chemocare:
http://www.chemocare.com/bio/taxol.asp Fighting Ovarian Cancer From
The Forest. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Taxus/index.html
Madagascar Periwinkle. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from RxList:
http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=96629&page=2
Madagascar Periwinkle. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
Suite101:
http://www.suite101.com/content/madagascar-periwinkle-a-heat-tolerant-ground-co-a122798
Madagascar Periwinkle Flower. (2008-2011). Retrieved January 2011,
from Guide To Houseplants:
http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/periwinkle-flower.html
Maximizing Returns. (2003, September 15). Retrieved January 2011,
from Chemical & Engineering News:
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/8137/8137taxol.html Murray, M.
D. (1991). The tree that fights cancer - Pacific yew. Retrieved
January 2011, from BNet:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1016/is_n7-8_v97/ai_11012477/pg_3/?tag=content;col1
Slide 27
Ombrello, D. T. (n.d.). Madagascar Periwinkle. Retrieved
January 2011, from
http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/Madagascar_periwinkle.htm
Pacific (Western) yew. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
http://racerocks.ca/metchosin/trees/pacificyew/pacificyew.htm
Pacific Yew. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_1/taxus/brevifolia.htm
Pacific Yew. (2002-2011). Retrieved January 2011, from Herbs2000:
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_pacific_yew.htm Pacific yew
tree in Prostate Cancer. (2008-2010). Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.prostate-
cancer.com/prostate-cancer-glossary/pacific-yew-tree.html
Petursson, H. (2003). The Biogeography of Taxus Brevifolia, Pacific
Yew. Retrieved January 2011, from
http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall%2003%20project/PacificYew.htm
Plants Database. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from USDA:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CARO14 Plants Database.
(n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from USDA:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TABR2 Rose Periwinkle.
(2000-2011). Retrieved January 2011, from Dave's Garden:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/185/ Rosy Periwinkle. (n.d.).
Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_periwinkle.htm Taxol. (n.d.).
Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2002/jjones/Content/taxol.htm
Taxol - The drama behind total synthesis. (n.d.). Retrieved January
2011, from http://www.org- chem.org/yuuki/taxol/taxol_en.html
Taxol. (2007). Retrieved January 2011, from National Historic
Chemical Landmarks:
http://acswebcontent.acs.org/landmarks/landmarks/taxol/disel.html
Taxus brevifolia. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
VirginiaTech:
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=259
Taxus brevifolia. (2011). Retrieved January 2011, from Native Plant
Database:
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=tabr2
Vincristine/Vinblastine. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2011, from
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2002/jjones/Content/vincristine.htm
