A team of scientists from Munich Technical University Determined More bitter substance to date. It is part of the composition mushroom Previously known, therefore more than the discovery was the identification of its powerful taste. As an example, their bitterness, the calculations made by these researchers show that a person can continue to detect him before Nanomolar concentrationsThis is for us to get an idea approximately equivalent to dissolution One gram in 106 water bathsA field or, with an international system of journalistic measures, a hint in the Olympic basin.
According to those responsible, the conclusion, according to those responsible, may have consequences in the field of food, as well as in the field of pharmacology and medicine in general. And for many years it was believed that the bitter taste was only one of Plant strategy Protect from animals that feed on them. Gorky, as a rule, is an unpleasant taste, so he scared them off. In fact, often a bitter taste was due to the fact that poisonousThe field is a warning that we should not eat it.
However, in recent years there have been many results that indicate that this taste is much larger. To begin with, Not all bitter substances are poisonous or all poisons know bitterThe field also noticed that although most bitter compounds have a plant or synthetic origin, there are a significant amount of substances with this taste that actually have the origin Animal, bacterial or fungal. Finally, today we know that a bitter taste can tell us a lot, because its receptors are in places from the tongue, like The pancreas or lungs. Despite all this, this is great news, the discovery of such a powerful substance that is considered the most bitter today.
The key in the mushrooms
The problem of mushrooms and bitter taste is quite contradictory. For example, it is known that there are extremely poisonous mushrooms with taste, far from bitter. This is a case Amanita FalloidsThe field of those few people who try it and live to say that he reports that its aroma Even niceSimilarly, such a nut.
Other mushrooms, such as Styeptic amaropoststhey are extremely bitter, although in fact They do not become toxic. Despite this, they are classified as Nemedial Because no one would dare to eat them with this taste.
This last mushroom was the origin of the most bitter substance in the world. What has just been discovered. The authors of the investigation are isolated 3 substances that are part of its composition And they analyzed what concentrations they were able to activate TAS2 receptors. They are known for being responsible for the discovery of a bitter taste. When the molecule connects one of these receptors, a number of electrical signals are sent to the brain, which lead to this bitter taste, which at certain doses is very unpleasant.
With this experiment, they saw that one of these substances, Olugaporin dThis can be considered the most bitter known so far.
But why is the most bitter?
In fact, they came to the conclusion that Oligororin D will be the most bitter substance in the world, because concentration From 14 to 100 nanomolar Activate human taste receptors. This is a tiny concentration. To get an idea with an example, the concentration of salt in sea water is approximately 0.6 molar. If we talk about the nanomolar, we would encounter The Milmillon part of this.
If it is detected at such low concentrations, this is because Oligoporin is an extremely bitter substance. The bitter one, who once measured.
What can this discovery teach us?
The discovery of the most bitter known substance is very curious. However, in addition to curiosity, he can have many applications. And, in fact, the receptors of a bitter taste have been carrying scientists since two very important data were discovered. On the one hand, that They are in many organs Outside of the tongue. And, on the other hand, they can also interact with substances that are already inside the body, not only with the fact that we enjoy for the first time. This applies, for example, cholesterol.
There are several studies that show that some of the receptors of a bitter taste, especially TAS2R14They have two points of the Union, one exogenous and another endogenousThe exogenous field is associated with substances that come from the limits of the body, such as molecules responsible for the bitter taste. On the other hand, endogenous is associated with internal molecules, such as cholesterol. When they join at the same time, cholesterol enhances the package of electrical signals that cause the taste that we perceive. This is not necessary, but enhances the effect.
This happens in organs such as pancreasTherefore, scientists believe that a deeper knowledge of this information can have applications such as The best understanding of certain metabolic diseasesIn addition, this can be useful in the development of drugs.
In the case of respiratory tract receptors, where TAS2R14 also prevails, it was noticed that when they are activated, it is intensified that they open. Therefore, it is believed that the use of bitter substances can be useful for Treatment of diseases such as asthma. All this with molecules with a modest influence on a bitter taste receptors. The most bitter substance in the world, on the other hand, can change everything. It may be enough with a minimum pin to lead to Very useful effects.
It will be necessary to study more, but it seems that these researchers have found information that goes far beyond simple curiosity. This can be indispensable for part of biomedical studies of the future.
Source: Hiper Textual
