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Details

Stereochemistry ACHIRAL
Molecular Formula C21H29N2O.C7H5O2.H2O
Molecular Weight 464.5964
Optical Activity NONE
Defined Stereocenters 0 / 0
E/Z Centers 0
Charge 0

SHOW SMILES / InChI
Structure of DENATONIUM BENZOATE

SMILES

O.[O-]C(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1.CC[N+](CC)(CC(=O)NC2=C(C)C=CC=C2C)CC3=CC=CC=C3

InChI

InChIKey=YYMVPVZYUYQSJE-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI=1S/C21H28N2O.C7H6O2.H2O/c1-5-23(6-2,15-19-13-8-7-9-14-19)16-20(24)22-21-17(3)11-10-12-18(21)4;8-7(9)6-4-2-1-3-5-6;/h7-14H,5-6,15-16H2,1-4H3;1-5H,(H,8,9);1H2

HIDE SMILES / InChI

Description

Denatonium, usually available as denatonium benzoate (trade names Bitrex) is the most bitter chemical compound known, with bitterness thresholds of 0.05 ppm for the benzoate and 0.01 ppm for the saccharide. Scientists at Macfarlan Smith, Ltd. of Edinburgh, Scotland discovered Bitrex during research on derivatives of the anesthetic lidocaine. The extremely bitter taste proved effective in reducing ingestion by humans and animals. Denatonium is commonly included in placebo medications used in clinical trials to match the bitter taste of certain medications. Denatonium activates bitter taste receptor, mainly, TAS2R4, TAS2R8, TAS2R10, TAS2R13 on many cell types and plays important roles in chemical release, ciliary beating and smooth muscle relaxation through intracellular Ca(2+)-dependent pathways.

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PubMed

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Sample Use Guides

In Vivo Use Guide
1 µmol/kg bodyweight (10mM) was administered as a bolus into the stomach through a nasogastric feeding tube.
Route of Administration: Other
In Vitro Use Guide
Denatonium inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of airway epithelial cells. After treatment with 2 mM denatonium for 24 h, the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was significantly reduced and the release of cytochrome c and Smac/DIABLO from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm was drastically increased in human bronchial epithelial cell lines 16HBE. To examine whether denatonium induces mitochondrial damage in airway epithelial cells, was used transmission electron microscopy to examine the ultrastructures of human lung cancer cell line A549 treated with 2 mM denatonium. The control cells appeared to have normal mitochondria and mostly homogeneous cytoplasms, while A549 cells treated with denatonium showed large amplitude swelling of mitochondria.