The black yew or common yew (Taxus baccata) is a conifer that is found in the mountainous systems of the north of the Iberian Peninsula. In character form it has linear leaves, resembling needles, disputes in two opposite rows.
When the mature seed appears almost entirely surrounded by a ring or fleshy spheroid, translucent red in color, known as an aril.
The yew is a truly unique tree, in which the branches grow almost from the base ending in thin, pointed leaves, to which must be added that its trunk is empty.
In all parts of the tree, except the arils of the seeds, we can find a poisonous substance called taxin. It is an alkaloid capable of causing gastrointestinal irritation in our body and harmful effects on the cardiovascular system.
Taxin is a very pernicious substance, it is estimated that the liquid resulting from the cooking of 50-100 g of yew leaves would be enough to end the life of a human being.
From ancient Egypt to Numantia
Over the centuries the yew was surrounded by a halo of mysticism and its image was associated both with Life, its leaves were placed at the door of houses, and with Death, it was planted in cemeteries. Its harmful effect was already known in ancient times. Apparently the Numantines, back in 133 a. C., resorted to yew to carry out a collective suicide and avoid falling under the Roman yoke.
However, there are other European places where the yew was part of the tradition and despite its lethal effects. Thus, there is an Irish legend that states that to marry a land it was necessary for the suitor to carry a branch of holly, a flower of marigold and crimson berries of yew.
It is also said that the bow of Robin Hood, the hero who led a revolt in Sherwood Forest, was made of yew wood. Precisely the same material with which some sarcophagi were made in ancient Egypt.
Few animals are free from the toxicity of the yew, which represents a serious problem to germinate and, therefore, to perpetuate their genes, which is why these trees have to be very long-lived to the point that some specimens can live a thousand years.
For example, the Community of Madrid has, among its unique trees, the Barondillo de Lozoya yew, which is between 1500 and 1800 years old.
An alias against tumors
Etymologically, the number of these trees is related to badgers, a mammal of the mustelid family that makes its intricate burrows among its roots.
For centuries, attempts have been made to compensate for the bad press of yew trees by seeking therapeutic remedies. In the times of Emperor Claudius, he recommended extracting the sap from the yew tree as an antidote to snakebite and in the Renaissance it was considered, at low doses, as antirheumatic, antimalarial and antiabortive.
In spite of everything, it was in the eighties of the last century that it acquired some notoriety in the field of medicine when some studies appeared stating that a drug (taxol) with anticancer properties could be obtained from yew bark. Right now, there are more than a few different types of cancers that are effectively treated with that type of compound, which is made synthetically without having to cut down the yew trees.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Choker
