Bitterness Suppression of BCAA Solutions by L-Ornithine

• Published in: Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin Vol. 54; no. 9; pp. 1288 - 1292
• Main Authors: Tokuyama, Emi, Shibasaki, Takeshi, Kawabe, Hideo, Mukai, Junji, Okada, Sachie, Uchida, Takahiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 2006; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Amino Acids, Branched-Chain - chemistry; Arginine - chemistry; bitterness; branched-chain amino acid; Humans; L-arginine; L-ornithine; Ornithine - chemistry; Ornithine - pharmacology; Quinine - chemistry; Quinine - metabolism; Sensitivity and Specificity; sensor response potential pattern; Solutions - chemistry; Taste - drug effects; taste sensor
• ISSN: 0009-2363; 1347-5223
• DOI: 10.1248/cpb.54.1288

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bitterness-suppressing effect of L-ornithine (L-Orn) on single or mixed solutions of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) using human gustatory sensation tests and an artificial taste sensor. The BCAAs tested (L-isoleucine (L-Ile), L-leucine (L-Leu), and L-valine (L-Val)) are the main components of various enteral nutrients or supplements. The bitterness-suppression effect of L-Orn was also compared with the effect of L-Arg. L-Orn was effective in suppressing the bitterness of single or mixed solutions of BCAAs in human gustatory sensation tests, the effect being similar to or greater than that of L-Arg. The artificial taste sensor was able to predict the bitterness-suppressing effects of L-Orn and L-Arg. The response electric potential patterns of L-Val, L-Leu and L-Ile solutions to which 100 mM L-Arg had been added were quite similar to the sensor response patterns of the 100 mM L-Arg solutions alone. The relative response electric potential patterns of L-Val, L-Leu or L-Ile solutions containing 100 mM L-Orn in channels 5—8 (positively charged) are similar to that of single solution of 100 mM L-Orn.