Taxus wallichiana zucc. (Himalayan yew): phytochemistry, therapeutic potential, biotechnology, and conservation...

Taxus wallichiana Zucc. (Himalayan yew) is an endangered conifer of the Indian Himalayan Region and adjoining countries, recognised as a natural source of paclitaxel (Taxol^®) and its precursor 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB). This review comprehensively synthesises current knowledge of its phytochemistry, pharmacological potential, biotechnology, and conservation, highlighting recent advances, research gaps, and future directions. Phytochemical investigations have identified diverse bioactive compounds, including taxoids (paclitaxel, cephalomannine, and wallitaxanes), flavonoids, lignans, and phenolic acids, contributing to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Advances in tissue culture, metabolic engineering, and endophytic fungal research offer promising alternatives for taxoid production, potentially reducing destructive bark harvesting. Despite its medicinal and pharmaceutical significance, Taxus wallichiana faces serious threats from overexploitation, poor regeneration, habitat degradation, and grazing pressure. Conservation approaches include ex situ propagation, genetic diversity assessment, habitat restoration, and sustainable utilisation of renewable foliage and endophyte-derived metabolites. By integrating ethnomedicinal knowledge, phytochemical diversity, pharmacological applications, biotechnological innovations, and conservation priorities, this review provides a multidisciplinary perspective on the species' scientific and ecological importance. Future research should strengthen sustainable production systems, clarify therapeutic potential of its bioactive compounds, and integrate traditional ecological knowledge with modern biotechnology and conservation biology to support the long-term survival and sustainable utilisation of this valuable Himalayan medicinal conifer.