Talk:Phenylthiocarbamide

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Does anyone know of any side effects or adverse reactions to this chemical?

It is carcinogenic according to my bioloy teacher, but I don't know to what degree. By the way, the link out is broken, but I don't want to change it until someone gets another.Eriathwen 20:17, Mar 18, 2005 (UTC)

The MSDS suggests that it is very toxic. However, the LD50 is pretty high (5mg/kg rat). I don't think the tasting papers used in classroom demonstrations can be considered dangerous, but you shouldn't be eating a lot of it. The MSDS specifically says about cancer: "CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available." --Mdwyer 22:48, 12 July 2006 (UTC)

Extremely hazardous in case of ingestion. Very hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of inhalation. Hazardous in case of skin contact (permeator). Corrosive to eyes and skin. The amount of tissue damage depends on length of contact. Eye contact can result in corneal damage or blindness. Skin contact can produce inflammation and blistering. Inhalation of dust will produce irritation to gastro-intestinal or respiratory tract, characterized by burning, sneezing and coughing. Severe over-exposure can produce lung damage, choking, unconsciousness or death. Inflammation of the eye is characterized by redness, watering, and itching. Skin inflammation is characterized by itching, scaling, reddening, or, occasionally, blistering.

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I don't know if it has any side effects or not. Can anyone tell me what compounds PTC may be found in? This example of "taster" versus "nontaster" is used as an example in genetic inheritance frequently, so does that mean that it is something that we might encounter in our daily lives? Thanks for your unput. God bless!

Some people believe that PTC is found in cilantro, but the people who hate cilantro aren't necessarily the same people who think the taste of PTC is vile. --Mdwyer 22:48, 12 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] SMILES

In case this compound ever gets a chemical infobox, the SMILES notation for it is "S=C(N)Nc1ccccc1". Catbar (Brian Rock) 02:13, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] New Research linking Broccoli with PTC

I can remove the Cilantro reference, and replace it with broccoli! First, I want to find the orignal document to cite, though. Here's the article and some snippets, in case the link goes bad. --Mdwyer 01:20, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

The original paper is DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2006.08.049. Definitely worth a cite. —Keenan Pepper 02:25, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

Oh, thank you! Sadly, I no longer have ready access to a research library, and I'm not quite ready to spend $30usd on the article. I'd like to read the original study before writing anything up. It seems wrong to cite a study I haven't read. --Mdwyer 05:41, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

I have access to it through my university, and I think I'm allowed to email you a copy of it. Just don't go distributing it willy-nilly. —Keenan Pepper 05:46, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

http://www.economist.com/science/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=7941707 Current Biology, Mari Sandell and Paul Breslin, of the Monell Chemical Senses Centre, in Philadelphia 21 Sep 2006

hTAS2R38. The protein derived from this gene is known, from laboratory experiments, to be sensitive to a substance called phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). This compound contains a molecular group called thiourea. And thiourea-containing substances are known from other studies to inhibit the function of the thyroid gland. Cruciferous vegetables, such as watercress, turnips and—most pertinently—broccoli, are rich in a group of thiourea-containing compounds called glucosinolates.

All volunteers found the non-cruciferous vegetables equally bitter, but their reactions to the cruciferous ones depended on their genes. Those with two copies of the version of hTAS2R38 coding for the protein that binds best to PTC (one copy having been inherited from each parent) thought broccoli and its cousins the most bitter. Those who had two copies of the poorly binding version thought they tasted fine. Those with one of each had an intermediate reaction.