ABSTRACT
Plant and mammalian coevolution has led to the development of secondary plant metabolites that serve as attractants, repellants, toxins, and biological modi˜ers. Concurrently mammals have developed sensory systems that guide plant consumption and initiate adaptive physiological responses. The gut, with its rich sensory network, is arguably the primary system to respond to phytochemical cues from plant ingestion. Capitalizing on this sensory relationship, traditional cultures have utilized
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 237 Sensory Perception and the Gut: A Phytotherapist’s Perspective .................................................. 238
Pungent ...................................................................................................................................... 238 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 238 Traditional Perspective ......................................................................................................... 238 Biomedical Perspective ........................................................................................................ 239
Bitter .......................................................................................................................................... 239 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 239 Traditional Perspective .........................................................................................................240 Biomedical Perspective ........................................................................................................240
