基于苦味受体挖掘苦寒(味)中药药性的现代科学内涵

Study on Modern Scientific Connotation of Bitter Taste Property of Chinese Materia Medica Based on Bitter Taste Receptors

苦味受体属于G蛋白偶联受体,由25种亚型组成。苦味受体分布于口腔,介导哺乳动物的苦味觉;另外还存在于胃、肠管等口腔外消化系统,影响消化吸收及能量调控,在呼吸系统松弛呼吸道平滑肌,在心血管系统则发挥降压作用。而与现代苦味受体的最新进展惊人一致的,则是古老的中医药性味理论中的苦味中药或苦寒中药功效,如"泄"、"燥"、"坚"等特性,数千年来已广泛应用于消化、内分泌、呼吸、心血管等多系统疾病的治疗。因此,基于苦味受体环节,运用现代新技术、新方法,诠释中药苦味属性或苦寒药性的科学内涵,应是一条可行途径和新的研究模式,对于丰富和完善中药药性理论,促进中药的现代化和客观化具有重要作用。

Bitter taste receptors（BTRs） belong to the G protein-coupled receptors, which included 25 subtypes. BTRs, which were distributed in the oral cavity, mediated the bitter taste of mammalian. Furthermore, BTRs were also existed in the extra-oral digestive system such as the stomach and intestine to influence the digestion, absorption and energy regulation. It also can relax airway smooth muscles in the respiratory system and decrease blood pressure in the cardiovascular system. While being strikingly conformed to the latest advancements of BTRs, the efficacy of bitter taste property of Chinese materia medica（CMM） such as ＂excretion＂, ＂dryness＂ and ＂strengthening＂ have been used in ancient theories of property and flavor in traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） for thousands of years in the treatment of multisystem diseases such as digestive, endocrine, respiratory and cardiovascular system. Therefore, applying modern techniques and new methods in the interpretation of the scientific connotation of bitter taste property of CMM based on BTRs should be a feasible way and a new research pattern. It played an important role in the enriching of the property theory in CMM, as well as enhancing the modernization and objectivization of CMM.