The role of flavor and fragrance chemicals in TRPA1 (transient receptor potential cation channel, member A1) activity associated with allergies

TRPA1 has been proposed to be associated with diverse sensory allergic reactions, including thermal (cold) nociception, hearing and allergic inflammatory conditions. Some naturally occurring compounds are known to activate TRPA1 by forming a Michael addition product with a cysteine residue of TRPA1 through covalent protein modification and, in consequence, to cause allergic reactions. The anti-allergic property of TRPA1 agonists may be due to the activation and subsequent desensitization of TRPA1 expressed in sensory neurons. In this review, naturally occurring TRPA1 antagonists, such as camphor, 1,8-cineole, menthol, borneol, fenchyl alcohol and 2-methylisoborneol, and TRPA1 agonists, including thymol, carvacrol, 1’S-1’- acetoxychavicol acetate, cinnamaldehyde, α-n-hexyl cinnamic aldehyde and thymoquinone as well as isothiocyanates and sulfides are discussed

<i>Alpinia galanga</i> Willd.–<i> </i>An overview on phyto-pharmacological properties

143-149 Plants have been one of the important sources of medicines even since the dawn of human civilization. Inspite of tremendous development in the field of allopathy during the 20th century, plants still remain one of the major sources of drug in the modern as well as traditional system of medicine throughout the world. Alpinia galanga Willd. (Family- Zingiberaceae) commonly known as galangal, is an important cultivated medicinal crop of India. It is well known official drug throughout the country as a holistic gift of nature for medicinal, culinary and cosmetic use. It has been found to possess various therapeutic activities, viz. anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiallergic, antifungal, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiulcer, immunostimulating, anticancer, antioxidant, antiamoebic, antidermatophytic and many more. The present paper is an overview on scientifically established and published phyto-pharmacological properties of the plant </smarttagtype