Tastes Like Asthma Medicine

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine accidentally discovered taste receptors in the LUNGS! As if that weren't enough of a shocker, these receptors cause vasodilation like never seen before. It all began as research with smooth muscle cells in the lungs to study the mechanisms of and treatment for asthma, when low and behold "they discovered that the lungs have receptors that identify compounds that would taste bitter on the tongue." However, rather than causing a sudden surge of bitterness, the result is vasodilation more effective than current drugs used to stimulate beta-2 adrenergic receptors or to antagonize cholinergic receptors. I choose this article not only because we just recently learned about these similar mechanisms for vasodilation but because I find it amazing that simple natural compounds can work more effectively than man-made drugs. It makes me wonder if there is a natural solution to every problem we have had to use engineered drugs.

http://www.biomedicalblog.com/tastes-like-asthma-medicine/37400/