Bitter taste receptor-mediated regulation of glycolipid metabolism and natural product-based targeted therapies: A review

Recent studies have demonstrated the significant impact of bitter substances on gastrointestinal hormones and enteroendocrine function through the activation of bitter taste receptors. Specific agonists targeting these receptors have shown promise in providing metabolic advantages and reducing inflammation by influencing enteroendocrine hormone release and bile acid metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes accompanied by dyslipidemia-related comorbidities. This article overviews the molecular mechanisms by which bitter taste receptors regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. It also examines the findings from preclinical and clinical studies on medicinal plants and their active compounds that stimulate bitter taste receptors, with a particular focus on their impact on gastrointestinal hormone secretion and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism in the intestine. This work provides new ideas and targets for the clinical treatment of metabolic disorders like diabetes, as well as a theoretical basis for developing new therapeutic strategies and utilizing medicinal plants.