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Amarogentin
Amarogentin is a chemical compound found in gentian ('' Gentiana lutea'') or in '' Swertia chirata''. Gentian root has a long history of use as a herbal bitter in the treatment of digestive disorders and is an ingredient of many proprietary medicines. The bitter principles of gentian root are secoiridoid glycosides amarogentin and gentiopicrin. The former is one of the most bitter natural compounds known and is used as a scientific basis for measuring bitterness. In humans, it activates the bitter taste receptor TAS2R50. The biphenylcarboxylic acid moiety is biosynthesized by a polyketide-type pathway, with three units of acetyl-CoA and one unit of 3-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, this being formed from an early shikimate pathway intermediate and not via cinnamic or benzoic acid. It also shows an antileishmanial activity in animal models being an inhibitor of topoisomerase I. References {{reflist, 2 Bitter compounds Iridoid glycosides Topoisomerase inhibitors ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amarogentin Gentiopicrin
Amarogentin is a chemical compound found in gentian ('' Gentiana lutea'') or in '' Swertia chirata''. Gentian root has a long history of use as a herbal bitter in the treatment of digestive disorders and is an ingredient of many proprietary medicines. The bitter principles of gentian root are secoiridoid glycosides amarogentin and gentiopicrin. The former is one of the most bitter natural compounds known and is used as a scientific basis for measuring bitterness. In humans, it activates the bitter taste receptor TAS2R50. The biphenylcarboxylic acid moiety is biosynthesized by a polyketide-type pathway, with three units of acetyl-CoA and one unit of 3-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, this being formed from an early shikimate pathway intermediate and not via cinnamic or benzoic acid. It also shows an antileishmanial activity in animal model An animal model (short for animal disease model) is a living, non-human, often genetic-engineered animal used during the research and investigation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gentiana Lutea
''Gentiana lutea'', the great yellow gentian, is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Growth ''Gentiana lutea'' is an herbaceous perennial plant, growing to tall, with broad lanceolate to elliptic leaves long and broad. The flowers are yellow, with the corolla separated nearly to the base into 5–7 narrow petals. It grows in grassy alpine and sub-alpine pastures, usually on calcareous soils. Uses ''Gentiana lutea'' is remarkable for the intense bitterness of the root and every part of the herbage. Before the introduction of hops, gentian was used occasionally in brewing. Gentian root has a long history of use as an herbal bitter and is an ingredient of many proprietary medicines. The parts used include the dried, underground parts of the plant and the fresh, above-ground parts. The root, which can be over thick and has few branches, is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. Caution should be exercised as to its use beca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bitter (taste)
The gustatory system or sense of taste is the sensory system that is partially responsible for the perception of taste (flavor). Taste is the perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor cells located on taste buds in the oral cavity, mostly on the tongue. Taste, along with olfaction and trigeminal nerve stimulation (registering texture, pain, and temperature), determines flavors of food and other substances. Humans have taste receptors on taste buds and other areas, including the upper surface of the tongue and the epiglottis. The gustatory cortex is responsible for the perception of taste. The tongue is covered with thousands of small bumps called papillae, which are visible to the naked eye. Within each papilla are hundreds of taste buds. The exception to this is the filiform papillae that do not contain taste buds. There are between 2000 and 5000Boron, W.F., E.L. Boulpaep. 2003. Medical Physiology. 1st ed. Elsevier ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iridoid Glycosides
Iridoids are a type of monoterpenoids in the general form of cyclopentanopyran, found in a wide variety of plants and some animals. They are biosynthetically derived from 8-oxogeranial. Iridoids are typically found in plants as glycosides, most often bound to glucose. The chemical structure is exemplified by iridomyrmecin, a defensive chemical produced by the ant genus ''Iridomyrmex'', for which iridoids are named. Structurally, they are bicyclic ''cis''-fused cyclopentane-pyrans. Cleavage of a bond in the cyclopentane ring gives rise to a subclass known as ''secoiridoids'', such as oleuropein and amarogentin. Occurrence The iridoids produced by plants act primarily as a defense against herbivores or against infection by microorganisms. The variable checkerspot butterfly also contains iridoids obtained through its diet which act as a defense against avian predators. To humans and other mammals, iridoids are often characterized by a deterrent bitter taste. Aucubin and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Secoiridoid
Iridoids are a type of monoterpenoids in the general form of cyclopentanopyran, found in a wide variety of plants and some animals. They are biosynthetically derived from 8-oxogeranial. Iridoids are typically found in plants as glycosides, most often bound to glucose. The chemical structure is exemplified by iridomyrmecin, a defensive chemical produced by the ant genus ''Iridomyrmex'', for which iridoids are named. Structurally, they are bicyclic ''cis''-fused cyclopentane-pyrans. Cleavage of a bond in the cyclopentane ring gives rise to a subclass known as ''secoiridoids'', such as oleuropein and amarogentin. Occurrence The iridoids produced by plants act primarily as a defense against herbivores or against infection by microorganisms. The variable checkerspot butterfly also contains iridoids obtained through its diet which act as a defense against avian predators. To humans and other mammals, iridoids are often characterized by a deterrent bitter taste. Aucubin and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Glycoside
In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme hydrolysis, which causes the sugar part to be broken off, making the chemical available for use. Many such plant glycosides are used as medications. Several species of ''Heliconius'' butterfly are capable of incorporating these plant compounds as a form of chemical defense against predators. In animals and humans, poisons are often bound to sugar molecules as part of their elimination from the body. In formal terms, a glycoside is any molecule in which a sugar group is bonded through its anomeric carbon to another group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides can be linked by an O- (an '' O-glycoside''), N- (a '' glycosylamine''), S-(a '' thioglycoside''), or C- (a '' C-glycoside'') glycosidic bond. Accordin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taste Receptor
A taste receptor or tastant is a type of cellular receptor which facilitates the sensation of taste. When food or other substances enter the mouth, molecules interact with saliva and are bound to taste receptors in the oral cavity and other locations. Molecules which give a sensation of taste are considered "sapid". Vertebrate taste receptors are divided into two families: * Type 1, sweet, first characterized in 2001: – * Type 2, bitter, first characterized in 2000: In humans there are 25 known different bitter receptors, in cats there are 12, in chickens there are three, and in mice there are 35 known different bitter receptors. Visual, olfactive, "sapictive" (the perception of tastes), trigeminal (hot, cool), mechanical, all contribute to the perception of ''taste''. Of these, transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 ( TRPV1) vanilloid receptors are responsible for the perception of heat from some molecules such as capsaicin, and a CMR1 receptor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TAS2R50
Taste receptor type 2 member 50 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''TAS2R50'' gene. Function TAS2R50 belongs to the large TAS2R receptor family. TAS2Rs are expressed on the surface of taste receptor cells and mediate the perception of bitterness through a G protein-coupled second messenger pathway. See also TAS2R10. See also * Taste receptor A taste receptor or tastant is a type of cellular receptor which facilitates the sensation of taste. When food or other substances enter the mouth, molecules interact with saliva and are bound to taste receptors in the oral cavity and other loc ... References Further reading * * * * * Human taste receptors {{transmembranereceptor-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swertia Chirata
''Swertia'' is a genus in the gentian family containing plants sometimes referred to as the felworts. Some species bear very showy purple and blue flowers. Many members of this genus have medicinal and cultural purposes. Plants of genus '' Frasera'' are sometimes considered part of this genus, sometimes as a separate genus, and sometimes as synonymous. Selected species Species in the genus ''Swertia'' include, but are not limited to: * '' Swertia angustifolia'' Buch.-Ham. ''ex'' D. Don * '' Swertia bimaculata'' (Siebold & Zucc.) C. B. Clarke ** ''Swertia bimaculata'' (Siebold & Zucc.) Hook. f. & Thoms. * '' Swertia calcicola'' Kerr. * '' Swertia chinensis'' (Griseb.) Franch. ** '' Swertia diluta'' (Turcz.) Benth. & Hook. f. * ''Swertia chirayita'' (Roxb. ''ex'' Fleming) H. Karst. ** ''Swertia chirata'' (Wall.) C. B. Clarke * '' Swertia ciliata'' (D. Don ''ex'' G. Don) B. L. Burtt. * '' Swertia cordata'' (Wall. ''ex'' G. Don) C.B. Clarke * '' Swertia dilatata'' C. B. Clarke * '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Acetyl-CoA
Acetyl-CoA (acetyl coenzyme A) is a molecule that participates in many biochemical reactions in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Its main function is to deliver the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) to be oxidized for energy production. Coenzyme A (CoASH or CoA) consists of a β-mercaptoethylamine group linked to the vitamin pantothenic acid (B5) through an amide linkage and 3'-phosphorylated ADP. The acetyl group (indicated in blue in the structural diagram on the right) of acetyl-CoA is linked to the sulfhydryl substituent of the β-mercaptoethylamine group. This thioester linkage is a "high energy" bond, which is particularly reactive. Hydrolysis of the thioester bond is exergonic (−31.5 kJ/mol). CoA is acetylated to acetyl-CoA by the breakdown of carbohydrates through glycolysis and by the breakdown of fatty acids through β-oxidation. Acetyl-CoA then enters the citric acid cycle, where the acetyl group is oxidized to carbon dioxide and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
3-Hydroxybenzoyl-CoA
3-Hydroxybenzoyl-CoA is a molecule formed by condensing the thiol group of coenzyme A (CoA) with the carboxylic acid group of 3-hydroxybenzoic acid. Stable in acidic conditions, it is a tetraprotic acid due to the pyrophosphate and phosphate groups included. It derives from a benzoyl-CoA and a 3-hydroxybenzoic acid. In organisms such as plants, this can be formed using the 3-hydroxybenzoate—CoA ligase enzyme. This uses ATP, 3-hydroxybenzoate, and CoA as substrates. It can be reduced to 3-hydroxycyclohexa-1,5-diene-1-carbonyl-CoA by reduced ferredoxin and adenosine triphosphate Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an organic compound that provides energy to drive many processes in living cells, such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, condensate dissolution, and chemical synthesis. Found in all known forms ... using the benzoyl-CoA reductase enzyme. in this two hydrogen atoms are added to the benzene ring in a dearomatizing process. References {{DEFAU ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
