BIO 411

CELL BIOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT REPORT

CASE STUDY:

WHO KILLED YEW? MURDER AND MITOSIS

FACULTY : FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE

PROGRAM : BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS.) BIOLOGY
GROUP : AS201_1B1
LECTURER : DR. NURULHUDA BINTI ISMAIL
GROUP MEMBERS :

NO NAME STUDENT ID

1. MUHAMMAD AIMAN BIN HAMZAH 2022950011

2. ZAIRUL FIRDAUS BIN MUHAMMAD 2022991185

3. MUHAMMAD AZDY HAIQAL BIN MUHAMMAD 2022971841

AZRUL AIDI PHILIP

4. MUHAMMAD ADIL BIN JUMAIN 2022958657

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………
2.0 PART 1: THE INTRUDER………………………………………………………………………
2.1 Question 1………………………………………………………………………………
2.2 Question 2………………………………………………………………………………
3.0 PART 2: THE LUNCH…………………………………………………………………………….
3.1 Question 1………………………………………………………………………………..
3.2 Question 2………………………………………………………………………………..
3.3 Question 3………………………………………………………………………………..
3.4 Question 4………………………………………………………………………………..
3.5 Question 5……………………………………………………………………………….
4.0 PART 3: THE HOSPITAL…………………………………………………………………………
4.1 Question 1…………………………………………………………………………………
5.0 PART 4: THE INTERROGATION………………………………………………………………..
5.1 Question 1…………………………………………………………………………………
5.2 Question 2…………………………………………………………………………………
5.3 Question 3………………………………………………………………………………..
5.4 Question 4………………………………………………………………………………..
5.5 Question 5………………………………………………………………………………..
5.6 Question 6………………………………………………………………………………..
6.0 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………..
7.0 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………….
1.0 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of writing this case study report is to solving a sabotage case that
involving a bunch of high ranking position people. From early investigation, a report stated
that they are being poisoned by using a natural poisons that derived from a poisonous tree
called Yew trees or also known as Taxus baccata. Due to the presence of taxine and a
complex of other alkaloids, the tree is toxic in all parts. However, the tree's leaves are more
poisonous than its seeds. Both humans and animals can become poisoned, and while
neither will develop any symptoms, they will both face death within a short period of time.
When the symptoms appear, the victims may feel mildly coldness, trembling, and collapse.
(Stephen, 2001)

Taxus baccata, possibly the most well-known Taxus species, has taxines in almost
all of its components. Calcium and sodium channel antagonists, taxines have cardiotoxic
effects. It is advised to seek immediate medical assistance and to remain under observation
for at least 6 hours after ingesting any plant leaves or seeds. Yew poisoning does not yet
have a known antidote, but medications like atropine have been used to manage the
symptoms. The most cardiotoxic taxine is taxine B, the most prevalent alkaloid in Taxus
species, which is followed by taxine A. (Martin, 2014)

Taxine alkaloids are rapidly absorbed from the intestine and, in sufficient doses, can
result in general heart failure, cardiac arrest, or respiratory failure, all of which can result in
death. Because taxines are effectively absorbed via the skin as well, Taxus species should
be handled carefully, ideally with gloves. Per 1g of leaves, Taxus Baccata leaves contain 5
mg of taxines. For humans, the estimated fatal dose of taxine alkaloids is 3.0 mg/kg body
weight. The difficulty of detecting taxine alkaloids is a major factor in why different studies
indicate varying toxicity. (Martin, 2014)

2.0 PART I: THE INTRUDER

1. Predict what type of plan could be carried out by adding the seeds of Taxus baccata to a
pecan pie?

- According to the investigation, the intruder attempted to poison the people who would be
attending the lunch by sabotaging pecan pie from the lunch menu. Because Taxus baccata
seeds are poisonous, the guests would be poisoned, and some of them would
eventually die. By inserting them into the pecan pie, causing those who ate it will
undergoes accelerated heartbeat, muscle spasms, convulsions, collapse, difficulty breathing,
impaired circulation, and eventually cardiac arrest. The first few hours may go by without any
symptoms since the poisons have only just begun to affect the bloodstream at that point. If
the poisons are not discovered, death may follow after a few more hours.

2. Define taxines.

- A poisonous alkaloid of bitter taste extracted from the leaves and seeds of the Yew trees
also known as Taxus baccata. It is also known as taxia sometimes. The amount of taxine
alkaloids varies among yew species, with Taxus baccata and Taxus cuspidata having the
highest concentrations. Taxine A and Taxine B are the two main taxine alkaloids. Up until
1956, taxine was thought to be the standard term for all taxine alkaloids. The most potent of
the taxine alkaloids, taxine B, are cardiotoxins. Although Paclitaxel and other taxanes that
can be extracted from yews have been utilised as chemotherapy medicines, taxine alkaloids
have no known medical use.

3.0 PART II: THE LUNCH

1. Most of the governor’s lunch party just ate pecan pie filled with taxines, a potent mixture
of poisons, one of which is a powerful mitotic inhibitor. What is a mitotic inhibitor?

- Mitotic inhibitor is a type of drug that blocks cell growth by stopping mitosis during cell
division. Mitotic inhibitors are drugs based on organic plant materials. They inhibit the
mechanism of mitosis, or the division of a cell into two genetically identical daughter cells.
Binding to tubulin, mitotic inhibitors prevent it from polymerizing into microtubules. When a
cell divides, microtubules are the components that pull the cell apart. Cancer cells are more
impacted by mitotic inhibitors than normal cells because cancer cells divide more rapidly and
are therefore more vulnerable to mitotic inhibition. For the treatment of specific tumours,
such as leukaemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, and other types of cancer,
several mitotic inhibitors are used.
7.0 REFERENCES

1)

Valis, M. (2014, January 2). Common Yew Intoxication: A Case Report. Retrieved from BMC
Part of Springer Nature:
https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-1947-8-4#citeas
2) Wilson, C. R., Sauer, J. M., & Hooser, S. B. (2001). Taxines: a review of the mechanism
and toxicity of yew (Taxus spp.) alkaloids. Toxicon, 39(2-3), 175-185.

3) Thuret-Carnahan, J. O. S. E. T. T. E., Bossu, J. L., Feltz, A., Langley, K., & Aunis, D.
(1985). Effect of taxol on secretory cells: functional, morphological, and electrophysiological
correlates. The Journal of cell biology, 100(6), 1863-1874.