Medical science has advanced considerably for managing asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. However, if symptoms for these diseases are poorly controlled, it can lead to acute shortness of breath, hospitalization, or can sometimes be fatal.
“According to statistics, approximately only 50 percent of patients of asthma, and even a smaller percentage of patients of COPD achieve adequate control of airway control and lung inflammation with currently available medication,” said an associate at the Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida.
Clearly, this implies, there is something missing from using the available drug armamentarium to help patients, the associate added.
In fact, laboratory of the research associate at the Morsani College of Medicine has discovered a number of types of bitter taste receptors.
In a bid to treat obstructive lung diseases, Medical Rese focus on anatomy of smooth muscle cells
Clinically, in COPD and asthma, tightening of the muscles that surround bronchial tubes constricts the airway and lessens air flow. And, for this condition, the research associate’s lab discovered that taste receptors unlock the airway when activated. Meanwhile, medical researchers are striving to discover new drugs to treat a range of obstructive lung diseases and asthma by targeting smooth muscles to unlock constricted airways.
Earlier, in a preclinical study carried out, researchers discovered more about bitter taste receptor TAS2R5. The study revealed 18 new compounds activated and characterized this bitter taste receptor to promote relaxation of smooth muscle cells in the human airway.
Meanwhile, according to finding of the cross-disciplinary team – 1, 10 phenanthroline- 5,6 dione is the most promising among several lead compounds. Furthermore, the finding revealed this compound to be 1,000 times more potent than some other compounds that were tested.
