Two citation queries for those with access

Pheromone Science Pheromone Theory & Molecules
1

I’m no longer in academic medicine, so my access to the literature services is limited (I’m supposed to be getting online access through my adjunct faculty account, but that login stopped working this school year, so I’ll have to go in person, show ID/letters etc. to get it fixed, but I hate parking in that area during business hours. I try to bundle such errands in with important appointments, but then I’m racing to an important appointment and often don’t get around to it. Oh the problems I make for myself!)

Skin Chemoreceptors
We often ponder the location of the pheromone sensory apparatus. I have some ideas on this, but I need to look up the researchers by cross referencing their papers and those who cite them in Science Citations (which still exists on paper, and is available at a local library).

I was hoping one of you with access to a database could look up a paper (or news snippet), almost certainly in the NEJM, AFP or (more likely) JAMA in '93 or the first half of '94 [based on what I was doing when I read it] on the discovery of accessory taste buds on the external cheeks of infants and toddlers (ever notice how some kids delight in smearing ice cream there?) which supposedly involute after that age in most people.

(I was impressed by that study because mine apparently never fully involuted, and my son was going through the messy face-tasting stage. All my life, I’ve been able to taste certain skin products “in my mouth” when applied to my face or even a touch on the cheek from a hand wearing them. I wonder if that’s partly why I’ve chosen to have a beard since I was 16)

I think we may well have adult chemoreceptors elsewhere on our skin, and that clues/functional tests can already be found in existing literature

Celery and Testosterone
I’ve often read that celery and licorice increase testosterone (analogue) levels, but I can’t find the peer-reviewed study this is base on. Surely one of you have it in tour files/bookmarks or can look it up for me.

Incidentally, since I began experimenting with pheros, I’ve been noticing that room temperature fresh celery has a distinct licorice-like flavor, which I never noted before, despite my 70s-bred love of celery sticks and as an ingredient in cold salads (tuna, chicken, egg, etc.) and soups. Of course that may be because I’ve taken to eating it on the run, in my car, etc. and I’m getting ‘juice spray’ on my cheeks now that I have a van dyke instead of a full beard. Who knows?

2

Well hopefully this reply is not coming in too late. I’ll see if I can access those papers through my University (Molecular and Cell Biology and Physiology and Neurology double major) but no promises.

With that being said however, Celery does contain Androsterone but I’m pretty sure ingesting Androsterone will not have necessarily have an effect on testosterone. Lipids don’t exactly break down like proteins.

But anyways, I’ll snoop around the library and see what I can find.

3

Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid which seems to be associated with reduced Testosterone. I haven’t read much about Licorice, but some endocrine disruptors have really odd and paradoxical effects based on dosage.

Oral administration of shakuyaku-kanzo-toh, glycyrrhizin, and glycyrrhetinic acid decreased in vitro basal testosterone production in Leydig cells by LH stimulation.
Inhibitory effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on t… [Endocrinol Jpn. 1988] - PubMed - NCBI

Liquorice consumption has been shown to substantially reduce serum testosterone concentration. An explanation for this result was that the active component in liquorice (glycyrrhizic acid) interfered with 17 beta-hydroxysteroid deyhydrogenase, which has been shown in vitro to catalyse the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone. We twice attempted to replicate this effect of liquorice but could not. We identified differences between our methods and those of the previous study and possible statistical anomalies (including inappropriate use of statistical tests) in the earlier report.
Liquorice consumption and salivary testosterone conce… [Lancet. 2001] - PubMed - NCBI

Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women.

CONCLUSIONS:

which is secondary to a block of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 at the level of the kidney…

Licorice can reduce serum testosterone probably due to the block of 17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17-20 lyase. Licorice could be considered an adjuvant therapy of hirsutism and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Licorice reduces serum testosterone in heal… [Steroids. 2004 Oct-Nov] - PubMed - NCBI

4

Celery juice spray on cheeks… Increased testosterone… I see where you’re going here. :smiley:

I took a very brief 5 minute look for your queries.

I found the same as Logos found.

Licorice and glycyrrhetinic acid increase DHEA and deoxycorticosterone levels in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting adrenal SULT2A1 activity. E.A.S . Al-Dujali, C.J. Kenyon, M.R. Nicol, J.J. Mason. in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

And oddly could NOT find one peer reviewed citation for celery increasing testosterone. Though everyone and their grandmother writing for livestrong repeats the “celery increases testosterone” party line. :confused: I wonder where that came from? I think I’ve even heard “celery increases testosterone” come out of my mouth before.

My JAMA subscription only goes back to 1998, so I’m striking out there, too. :roll eyes:

Just blew my mind.

5

Re: Celery,

I believe that celery contains minute quantities of androstenone.

I’m not sure if that’s somehow the source of the “testosterone” beliefs. Androstenone should activate the androgen receptor, endogenously.

6

vanadium,

I wasn’t able to track down a paper on epidermal chemoreceptors during the 90’s, but I did find this recent article in Nature on finding olfactory receptors on keritanocytes that could be triggered by sandalwood to promote wound-healing - perhaps one of their citations may lead you closer to your query?

Let me know if you need any specific papers. I have temporary access at the moment due to my weird quasi-graduated academic state, but I have 100% access to my university medical library in person.

Link

Journal of Investigative Dermatology - A Synthetic Sandalwood Odorant Induces Wound-Healing Processes in Human Keratinocytes via the Olfactory Receptor OR2AT4

Download

Skin_Olfactory_Receptor.pdf

7

Thanks. I may take you up on that offer. I feel bad that some family crises (and a deep Southerner’s aversion to New England winter weather and winter driving in the city) are keeping me away from the medical campus, where I could either look up the articles myself, or straighten out my own access. Why do humans live in the frigid climes?

8

I dont know…I’ve been asking myself that for 49 years…:confused: