Activation of the hTAS2R14 human bitter-taste receptor by (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and (-)-epicatechin gallate.

Tea catechins have strong bitterness and influence the taste of tea. Among the 25 human bitter-taste receptors (TAS2Rs), we found that hTAS2R14 responded to catechins, in addition to hTAS2R39, a known catechin receptor. Although hTAS2R14 responded to (-)-epicatechin gallate and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, it did not respond to (-)-epicatechin and (-)-epigallocatechin.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of novel pyrimidinyl pyrazole derivatives. III. Synthesis and antitumor activity of 3-phenylpiperazinyl-1-trans-propenes.

A series of novel 3-[4-phenyl-1-piperazinyl]-1-[5-methyl-1-(2-pyrimidinyl)-4-pyrazolyl]-1-trans-propenes and related compounds were synthesized and evaluated by their cytotoxic activity against several tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity against some tumor models when administered both intraperitoneally and orally. Compounds with the 3-chloropyridin-2-yl group (9g) and the 3-fluoro-5-substituted phenylpiperazinyl group (29b, c, and e) showed significantly potent cytotoxicity by in vitro testing. Among them, the 3-cyano-5-fluorophenyl derivative (29b) exhibited potent antitumor activity against several tumor cells including human carcinoma without causing undesirable effects in mice.