ABSTRACT
Humans sense taste and smell of various chemical substances through approximately 430 chemosensory receptors. The overall picture of ligand-chemosensory receptor interactions has been partially clarified because of numerous interactions. This study presents a new method that enables a rapid and simple screening of chemosensory receptors. It would be useful for identifying chemosensory receptors activated by taste and odor substances.
Subject(s)
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Olfactory Perception/drug effects , Taste Perception/drug effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Piper chaba Hunt. is used as an ingredient in Thai traditional preparation for arthritis. Its isolated compound is piperine which shows anti-inflammatory activity. Piperine produces a burning sensation because it activates TRPV1 receptor. The TRPV1 activation involved with the analgesic and adjuvant effect. P. chaba Hunt. has not been reported about TRPV1 activation and adjuvant effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of P. chaba extract and piperine on TRPV1 receptor, which is considered as a target for analgesic and their adjuvant effects to support the development of an analgesic drug from herbal medicine. METHODS: The effect of P. chaba extract and piperine on HEK cells expressing TRPV1 channel was examined by calcium imaging assay. Adjuvant effects of P. chaba extract and piperine were investigated by a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) model in mice. RESULTS: P. chaba extract induced calcium influx with EC50 value of 0.67 µg/ml. Piperine induced calcium influx with EC50 value of 0.31 µg/ml or 1.08 µM. For mouse CHS model, we found that 1% piperine, 5% piperine, 1% P. chaba extract and 5% P. chaba extract significantly enhanced sensitization to FITC as revealed by ear swelling responses. CONCLUSION: P. chaba extract and piperine activated TRPV1 channel and enhanced contact sensitization to FITC.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic/pharmacology , Alkaloids/pharmacology , Benzodioxoles/pharmacology , Piper , Piperidines/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Polyunsaturated Alkamides/pharmacology , TRPV Cation Channels/metabolism , Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic/chemistry , Alkaloids/chemistry , Animals , Benzodioxoles/chemistry , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Piperidines/chemistry , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Polyunsaturated Alkamides/chemistry , ThailandABSTRACT
There are several thermosensitive transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels including capsaicin receptor, TRPV1. Food components activating TRPV1 inhibit body fat deposition through sympathetic nerve stimulation. TRPA1 is another pungency sensor for pungent compounds and is mainly coexpressed with TRPV1 in sensory nerve endings. Therefore, TRPA1 activation is expected to have an anti-obesity effect similar to TRPV1 activation. We have searched for agonists for TRPV1 and TRPA1 in vitro from Asian spices by the use of TRPV1- and TRPA1-expressing cells. Further, we performed food component addition tests to high-fat and high-sucrose diets in mice. We found capsiate, capsiconiate, capsainol from hot and sweet peppers, several piperine analogs from black pepper, gingeriols and shogaols from ginger, and sanshools and hydroxysanshools from sansho (Japanese pepper) to be TRPV1 agonists. We also identified several sulfides from garlic and durian, hydroxy fatty acids from royal jelly, miogadial and miogatrial from mioga (Zingiber mioga), piperine analogs from black pepper, and acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) from galangal (Alpinia galanga) as TRPA1 agonists. Piperine addition to diets diminished visceral fats and increased the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), and black pepper extract showed stronger effects than piperine. Cinnamaldehyde and ACA as TRPA1 agonists inhibited fat deposition and increased UCP1. We found that several agonists of TRPV1 and TRPA1 and some agonists of TRPV1 and TRPA1 inhibit visceral fat deposition in mice. The effects of such compounds on humans remain to be clarified, but we expect that they will be helpful in the prevention of obesity.
Subject(s)
Capsaicin/analogs & derivatives , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , TRPV Cation Channels/metabolism , Transient Receptor Potential Channels/metabolism , Acrolein/analogs & derivatives , Acrolein/pharmacology , Animals , Capsaicin/pharmacology , Ion Channels/genetics , Ion Channels/metabolism , Mice , Mitochondrial Proteins/genetics , Mitochondrial Proteins/metabolism , TRPA1 Cation Channel , TRPV Cation Channels/agonists , TRPV Cation Channels/genetics , Transient Receptor Potential Channels/agonists , Transient Receptor Potential Channels/genetics , Uncoupling Protein 1 , Zanthoxylum/chemistry , Zingiberaceae/chemistryABSTRACT
Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) is classified as a body-warming food in Indian herbalism, and its hyperthermic effect is empirically known in Southeast Asia. To investigate the mechanism underlying this effect, we focused on the thermogenesis-inducing receptors, TRPA1 and TRPV1. Durian contains sulphides similar to the TRPA1 and TRPV1 agonists of garlic. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the thermogenic effect of durian is driven by sulphide-induced TRP channel activation. To investigate our hypothesis, we measured the TRPA1 and TRPV1 activity of the sulphur-containing components of durian and quantified their content in durian pulp. These sulphur-containing components had a stronger effect on TRPA1 than TRPV1. Furthermore, sulphide content in the durian pulp was sufficient to evoke TRP channel activation and the main agonist was diethyl disulphide. From these results, we consider that the body-warming effect of durian is elicited by TRPA1 activation with its sulphides, as can be seen in spices.