Before its pharmaceutical value was discovered, the Yew was routinely slashed and burned during logging operations. However, with prolonged manufacture of the chemotherapeutic drug, Taxol, survival of the species was threatened by long-term harvesting. Bark harvesting totally destroys the tree so they started using the tips of the branches in the Summer months when the Taxane is at it's highest concentration in the plant.
The only natural source of Taxol, approved by the FDA, was the bark of Taxus brevifolia for initial supplies. Subsequently, the manufacturer of Taxol developed the semi-synthetic Paclitaxel, eliminating the need for great amounts of Taxus brevifolia bark. Paclitaxel is now manufactured from the bough tips of nursery grown cultivars of European yews and is approved by FDA.
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