Background: There are eight Taxus species and two hybrids in the world and Taxus baccata L. (European yew) is the single representative in Iran. Until now, a large number of taxoids possessing different skeleton systems, as well as lignans, flavonoids, steroids and sugar derivatives have been isolated from various Taxus species. Taxoids are highly oxygenated diterpenes isolated from different species of yew trees (family Taxaceae). They have received considerable attention after the discovery of the clinical efficacy of paclitaxel against different cancers due to its remarkable inhibition of microtubules polymerization leading to apoptosis of cancer cells.

Objective: This study was conducted for extraction, purification and identification of taxoids occurring in the aerial parts of Taxus baccata L. growing in Iran.  

Methods: The plant materials were extracted with organic solvent and after defatting, partitioning, column chromatography and thin layer chromatography steps, the obtained compounds were characterized on the basis of spectral data.

Results: Two taxane diterpenoids were isolated. The structures of these taxoids were established as 5-Cinnamoyl-10-acetyltaxicin-I and 2-Deacetyltaxinine E on the basis of spectral analysis.