Therapeutic potential of targeting intestinal bitter taste receptors in diabetes associated with dyslipidemia.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical literature without systematic search or meta-analysis
PubMed 34048925 · doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105693
What was done
This narrative review synthesized biological, preclinical, and clinical literature on intestinal bitter taste receptors (such as human TAS2R1 and TAS2R38) and their role in gut hormone secretion. It evaluated mechanisms and pharmacokinetic profiles of bitter medicinal plants and phytochemicals—including bitter melon, hops strobile, and berberine-containing botanicals (e.g., coptis rhizome and barberry root)—for stimulating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) release and modulating glucose and lipid metabolism.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or statistical effect sizes. Qualitatively, it reports that bitter tastants activate intestinal bitter taste receptors to stimulate enteroendocrine secretion of GLP-1. Evidence suggests that specific agonists targeting receptors like TAS2R1 and TAS2R38 may provide metabolic and anti-inflammatory benefits by modulating gut hormone secretion and bile acid turnover in individuals with metabolic syndrome or diabetic dyslipidemia.
Why it matters
It highlights intestinal bitter taste chemosensation as an alternative pharmacological target to stimulate endogenous incretin release and improve metabolic control in diabetic dyslipidemia.
Limits
As a narrative review, it provides no systematic search methodology, risk-of-bias evaluation, or meta-analytic data. The abstract reports no sample sizes or specific human clinical outcome metrics, and much of the discussed evidence relies on preclinical and mechanistic models.
Cited by
- context Digestive bitters can act as glucose disposal agents before a meal.