Recent Progress in Structure Activity Relationship and Mechanistic Studies of Taxol Analogues

Structure activity relationship (SAR) and mechanism of paclitaxel and its analogues in recent years are discussed in the following areas: SAR of paclitaxel analogues toward "normal" and multi-drug resistance tumors; paclitaxel prodrugs with improved water solubitily and specificity; mechanism of paclitaxel related to tubulin binding and quest for its pharmacophore.