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For individuals who find the bitter taste of certain medications unbearable, a groundbreaking study offers hope. Published in Clinical Therapeutics, researchers from the Monell Chemical Senses Center have identified a potential solution: the diabetes drug rosiglitazone. Their findings suggest that rosiglitazone could be used to partially block the bitter taste of medications, making them more palatable and easier to take.
Lead author Ha Nguyen, PhD, a Monell Postdoctoral Fellow, highlighted the novelty of their discovery, stating, “To our knowledge, there are no previous reports on the bitter-blocking effect of this diabetes drug.”
Using a screening method developed by Monell and DiscoveryBiomed, Inc., the research team identified rosiglitazone as a potential bitter blocker. Subsequent taste-testing experiments conducted on research participants in the United States and Poland revealed that adding rosiglitazone to medications reduced bitterness for many individuals.
“People differ, and we need to test many types of people from different parts of the world to make sure that efforts to reduce bitterness and make medicines easier to take work well for all people,” emphasized senior author Danielle Reed, PhD, Monell Chief Science Officer.
While rosiglitazone showed promise as a bitter blocker, the study underscored the need for multiple blockers to address the diverse preferences and sensitivities of individuals. Mixtures of several blockers may be necessary to achieve a low-to-zero bitterness standard for even the most unpleasant-tasting medicines.
“Although rosiglitazone was only partially effective as a bitter blocker in this study, modifying these drugs to improve potency, palatability, and efficacy may allow us to find a better version of this drug,” noted Dr. Nguyen.
The study’s findings have significant implications for enhancing medication adherence and improving patient outcomes. By making medications more palatable, bitter blockers like rosiglitazone could help individuals adhere to their prescribed treatment regimens, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to expand their study to include participants from diverse ancestries, ensuring that their findings are applicable to a broad range of populations.
This groundbreaking research was made possible with support from the National Institutes of Health, the Monell Chemical Senses Center’s Carol M. Christensen Postdoctoral Fellowship in Human Chemosensory Science Fund, and Monell Chemical Senses Center Institutional Funds.
