A model system for receptor cell studies with the taste modifier, hodulcin

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Abstract
Hodulcin (from Hovenia dulcis leaves) is known to suppress selectively sweet taste perception in humans. The effects of hodulcin on Phormia regina behavioral and taste receptor cell action potential responses to sucrose and receptor cell responses to NaCl were tested to determine the suitability of this fly for neurophysiological studies with hodulcin. The same hodulcin concentration and temporal parameters that had been used in the human studies were used for the fly experiments, so that the human perceptual, fly behavioral and fly neurophysiological inhibition times and hodulcin selectivity could be compared. Hodulcin reversibly suppressed fly behavioral and receptor cell responses to sucrose with an inhibition time similar to the inhibition time in humans. The effect in flies was selective: hodulcin did not suppress receptor cell responses to NaCl. These data indicate that P.regina is an appropriate model for receptor cell studies with hodulcin.