Docecad; N-debenzoyl-N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-10-deacetyltaxol; NSC 628503; RP 56976; Taxoltere metro; docetaxol; Taxotere

An antineoplastic. An antimitotic agent that promotes the assembly of microtublules and inhibits their depolymerization to free tubulin. Docetaxel is of the chemotherapy drug class; taxane, and is a semi-synthetic analogue of paclitaxel (Taxol), an extract from the bark of the rare Pacific yew tree Taxus brevifolia. Due to scarcity of paclitaxel, extensive research was carried out leading to the formulation of docetaxel – an esterified product of 10-deacetyl baccatin III, which is extracted from the renewable and more readily available leaves of the European yew tree. Docetaxel differs from paclitaxel at two positions in its chemical structure. It has a hydroxyl functional group on carbon 10, whereas paclitaxel has an acetate ester, and a tert-butyl carbamate ester exists on the phenylpropionate side chain instead of the benzamide in paclitaxel. The carbon 10 functional group change causes docetaxel to be more water-soluble than paclitaxel.