Author Topic: Chemicals That Cause Anosmia - Losing the ability to perceive odors. (Read 319 times)

Vesp · « **on:** February 13, 2010, 09:47:42 PM »

As I've stated before on this site, It would be interesting to find a chemical that causes the loss, or decreased sensitivity of odors. This obviously has its uses in preventing something from smelling some other things - if sensitivity is reduced, it may not be able to detect it.

How would one go about making a compound that does this?
Well, first I guess we'd need to see the options...

My guess is we could go about it four different ways -- possibly more, what would they be?

* Block the sodium ion channels -- this will prevent the axon from sending the electrical signal, and is basically how benzocain works.

* Open the potassium ion channels. This switches off voltage-gated calcium ion channels which inhibits the generation of an action potential. -- perhaps this could be done to prevent the signal from being sent?

* Block the Calcium ions -- basically the same idea, but works on the knob(nod) of the axon instead...

* Find an Antagonist for the right receptors on the olfactory neuron - this should be possible I'd think, but I've never heard of a smell that blocks other smells...This sounds possible.

The basic working of a neuron is that it has a charged sent down the axon,which is full of K+, and absorbing Na+, and releasing

This is what I know:
* It has been rumored that items similiar to frabreeze, and scented candles contain a compound that lowers your ability to smell odors -- thus causing you to believe your house doesn't smell as bad as it really does. Air-wick might also contain it... Any ideas of what compounds this might be?

*Acrylates, methacrylates and cadmium can cause anosmia.
*Zincam, a intranasal spray of Zinc Gluconate has apparently caused anosmia...
*Zinc deficiency

-- To me it seems like cadmium, zinc, and probably other ones such as mercury might play an important roll in affecting the sense of smell. Why would it be Zn++ and Cd++? maybe this affects the Ca++ roll in the neuron communication?

For other causes... check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anosmia

Another idea is to some how affect the sense of smell?

References:
^ Schwartz B, Doty RL, Frye RE, Monroe C, Barker S (1989). "Olfactory function in chemical workers exposed to acrylate and methacrylate vapors". Am J Pub Health 79: 613–618. doi:10.2105/AJPH.79.5.613.

http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/79/5/613

# ^ Rose CS, Heywood PG, Costanzo RM (1992). "Olfactory impairment after chronic occupational cadmium exposure". Journal of Occupational Medicine 34: 600–605.

^ Rydzewski B, Sulkowski W, Miarzynaska M (1998). "Olfactory disorders induced by cadmium exposure: A clinical study". Int J Occ Med Env Health 11: 235–245.

This, though simple, might be helpful to picture what I am kind of thinking ... either blocking the Na+ or preventing the K+ from going in or out..

This video doesn't show the roll that calcium plays at the end, right before the neurotransmitters are sent.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCasruJT-DU
[/youtube]

Well.. just some thoughts, and hopefully we'll be able to come up with other ideas.. despite this really just being a highly unlikley situation.

Edit: Olfactory stimuli were eliminated by inducing anosmia in each coyote through irrigation of the nasal mucosa with a 10% zinc sulphate solution. This was also performed on pigeons.

"Olfactory perception and sensitivity depend on the presence of sodium, say
neurophysiologists at Ruhr-University Bochum. The study found that bathing
the olfactory mucus with a sodium-free buffer resulted in decreased odor
detection ability. Odor detection returned within a few hours, as mucus was
produced. The new, non-invasive technique for inducing anosmia in opens up new possibilities for looking at olfactory communication in animals."
http://chemse.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/31/7/641
"
In addition to its excellent odor,2,2,9,11-tetramethylspiro[5.5]undec-8-en-1-yl acetate seems to also have the advantage of not inducing anosmia, unlike many prior art compounds of the same olfactive family."
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7256170/description.html

http://anosmia.myadversereaction.com/reactions/drug/diazepam.html --- Diazepam has been related to the side effect of Anosmia. If you are taking Diazepam and have experienced Anosmia this information may be of use to you.

Ok... so theres a bit more.

Vesp · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2010, 11:02:48 PM »

Manganese is also reported to have the ability to cause anosmia. Another related condition to anosmia is hyposmia, both of which can be an early sign of Parkinson's Disease.

Quote

Beneficial zinc absorption takes place via enteral, paren-
teral, or cutaneous routes.5,13 However, direct application to
the olfactory epithelium was known to be toxic over 60
years ago.14–16 This toxicity is thought to be caused by the
direct effects of the divalent zinc ion on the olfactory
receptor cell.17–19 Otherwise beneficial divalent ions (e.g.,
copper, cadmium, and barium) also have been shown to be
toxic when applied directly to the olfactory epithelium.17–19

So, I guess close to anything that is divalent could be useful. I wonder what would make for the most active divalent ion? Size - if so, something like a Hg++ might be more effective then Zn++... or if smaller is wanted, perhaps beryllium?

Also check out: http://www.ionchannels.org/showabstract.php?pmid=14506449

Quote

INTRODUCTION: Drug-induced dysosomia is rare and its prevalence difficult to estimate, notably because of the lack of satisfactory criteria of imputability. OBSERVATION: In a 59 year-old patient consulting for olfactory disorders that had progressed over the past 4 month, diagnosis of dysosomia secondary to the administration of nifedipine was maintained with a considerable score of imputability (negative clinical controls and partial regression of the disorder). COMMENTS: Drugs used in cardiology represent one of the major therapeutic classes that can lead to dysfunction in smell and/or taste. These drugs are nifedipine reported in 1985, metoprolol (beta blocker), diltiazem and, more recently, enalapril.

Nifedipine (brand name Adalat, Nifedical, and Procardia) is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. --- so what I said earlier, possibly makes sense about the calcium, but there is surely other ways this could be affected.

Quote

...anosmia have all been associated with chronic inhalational nickel.....

--

now, is it possible for organic compounds to mimic metal ions?

Edit: I thought this was neat, and or helpful in understanding how to make something less likley to have a smell...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCQK-OPgqFY[/youtube]

Also if the vesicles take up oders, perhaps a (re)uptake inhibitor could be employed to prevent this from happening. So - something like an SSRI - but instead for serotonin, for odors.

PS. Why isn't their much interest in this?

Enkidu · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2010, 11:43:07 PM »

"Why isn't there much interest in this?"

Probably because the delivery method is going to be a bitch (I know this because I've spent "some time" at the E&W boards); additionally, I really don't think that we want to spray any Hg(II) ions at anyone.

Trying to give someone anosmia is not a good approach. You're looking for a selective inhibitor of.... something, not for a chemical that will cause (permanent?) neuropathic damage.

Edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfactory_receptor

Vesp · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2010, 11:51:41 PM »

Yeah, good points. It is still interesting to me though, and I thought it would have more discussion. Oh well

Did E&W have any discussion about this subject matter? If so, what did they come up with?

Enkidu · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2010, 12:16:07 AM »

There was discussion of delivery methods, not of any kind of inhibitor, AFAIK.

This one's probably way too non-selective, and I haven't read enough to know if it even has the desired physiological effects.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19118110

hypnos · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2010, 02:16:51 AM »

why the interest vesp? i cant really see any applications for it-after all our sense of smell is rather important IIRC

Vesp · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2010, 02:43:13 AM »

I was thinking dogs - if they were to get it before they had a chance to find something else, then they wouldn't be able to find it.

Even if it lowered their sensitivity by 10% it seems like that would make it significantly harder to find.

Pretty much a castle in the air though, but for some reason this was just a strange interest. It just seems useful - even as an air freshener, etc. Assuming you could get a "non-toxic" substance.

Enk, thanks for the link, here is a picture of the molecule, and some other one. http://journals.prous.com/journals/dof/20073211/html/df321007/images/fig01.gif

timecube · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2010, 02:33:00 AM »

Something equally useful would be something that gives false positives. Areas away from the drugs could be coated and the task of finding the real drugs would become futile. Obviously you would have to be somewhat clever in how you used it.

Vesp · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2010, 03:25:17 AM »

What I don't like about this is that if the dog alerts, they have reasonable cause to search. If you can get it so it doesn't alert, you won't have this problem.

hypnos · « **Reply #9 on:** March 09, 2010, 04:56:52 AM »

down here in the land of oz,,the cops have a bunch of "surplus sniffer dogs" which they use in public situations i.e. large festivals/concerts where they (dogs and handlers) stand at the entrance,,and then also cruising the crowds waiting for "sniffy' to "react/respond" to someone who they then proceed to search on the basis that the dog's behavior has given them (LE) a reason to believe that person might be doing something illegal--e.g. 'having illicit substances on their person' which then allows them,,by the laws of this country,,to search the person (and if they are in a car,,that too!)---

this use of the dogs has drawn much criticism from the advocates of persosnal privacy as an invasion of an individuals privacy "without reason",,,unfortunately,, in this country we have laws that allow the ppolice to charge someone with "being in possesion of goods "REASONABLY SUSPECTED" of being illegaly obtained" (the "reasonable suspicion" being at the discretion of the officer at that time) which is effectively being " GUILTY until PROVEN innocent!!!" the onus of proof being expected to be provided by the person facing the charges!!!

SHIT you can be charged with "Theft by FINDING!!!" anything you find on the street,,it could be ANYTHING,,regardless of value,,if you admit to finding it --BUT,,didnt 'hand it into the police first then you can be charged with this "scattergun charge" aiming at anything they think is beyond your abilty to "prove differently!!!" "tis TRULY A FUCKED BUNCH OF LAWS!!!

SO,,back to "sniffy" and his/her mates,,i was recently getting off a train and just outside the turnstiles were a half dozen cops and a "sniffy" plus handler

((this is NOT an exceptional event--as i mentioned,,"sniffys" are used regularly in public places--they WILL come into pubs/clubs---the first you might know about it is when you feel 'someone fondling your bum,only to turn around and encounter "sniffy and co" checking yo out

))
---so i am asked by the cops to come over to the side where they have a partially screened of area for searching people,,which they do,,to me,,finding NOTHING...plus i am more than happy to "confess" that i WAS somewhere the night before where cannabis was being smoked,,and i was wearing the same clothes,,,which probably explained "sniffy's" response....
i asked them 'how many "false alarms" had been initiated by 'sniffy' that morning'? The copper replied i was #6...i then asked if there had been ANY successful 'sniffing' and was told NO!!!

in these types of situations,,its pretty hard to avoid being "sniffed" and i cant really think of any way to "pre-emtively" counter this type of situation--I would love to be able tho--so i'm with you on this one vesp,,i wonder if there WAS some type of "anti-dog" type smells/(pheremones maybe) one could apply before leaving home....?? It would be very fuckin handy---

i will be doing some more research onto this area and will keep all posted

may all my fellow wasps be ffree of all illegal fragrances

badger · « **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2010, 02:53:12 AM »

For a substance with a temporary effect, I would look into biological molecules.

Ever heard of miraculin? It's a protein produced by Synsepalum dulcificum, the miracle fruit plant. When you eat it, it alters your ability to taste sour -- in fact the effect seems to be subtractive, as other tastes are not affected. Lemons taste sweet like lemonade, beer tastes syrupy, balsamic vinegar tastes fucking amazing (but drinking a lot of it is still a bad idea). The effect seems to be physical (i.e., the miraculin protein interacting directly with the taste buds) and lasts about an hour, shorter if you drink a whole lot.

So: Taste and smell are very closely related senses. It is conceivable that some glycoprotein similar to miraculin might have a similar effect on olfactory receptors to what miraculin does to taste receptors. Such a protein might already exist, or could perhaps be synthesized by modifying the gene that codes for miraculin to code for some novel protein. (Protein folding is hard, though.) Miraculin's mechanism of action isn't well understood, but it's thought to modify the physical structure of taste receptors and that its two histidine residues are involved in this. So I'd start by asking GenBank about genes that have to do with the senses of taste and smell, and proteins that are related to miraculin, and see whether maybe something like what you want already exists and is characterized.

If so, then it's just a matter of obtaining the right biological material, or obtaining the gene in the right sort of plasmid and bunging it into some E. coli.

hypnos · « **Reply #11 on:** March 11, 2010, 03:16:35 AM »

.

If so, then it's just a matter of obtaining the right biological material, or obtaining the gene in the right sort of plasmid and bunging it into some E. coli.

[/quote]

yeah right

"bunging it on"(gotta be another ozzie!!) maybe just 'a bit' beyond my resources...................... $:-\$

but thanx for your input friend

Vesp · « **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2010, 03:18:08 AM »

Yes, it seems very difficult to do.. but it is a very interesting idea.

badger · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2010, 03:55:00 AM »

Quote from: hypnos on March 11, 2010, 03:16:35 AM

yeah right "bunging it on"(gotta be another ozzie!!) maybe just 'a bit' beyond my resources...................... $:-\$

www.biobricks.org

If you can hack together an incubator (a heating pad and a beer cooler will do in a pinch), can manage to use sterile lab technique, and are okay with spending a few hundred bucks on gene synthesis and some restriction/ligation enzymes, it's not that difficult. High school kids make glow-in-the-dark bacteria in biology class using GFP plasmids, calcium chloride and pots of hot and warm water to induce heat shock; this is stuff you can do in your kitchen.

Vesp · « **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2010, 04:20:31 AM »

While this discussion is for another topic -- how hard is it to apply to plants? I've read a bit about it.. but it has always seemed out of reach.
Do you have any experience in it? I wouldn't mind seeing a grass with mescaline in it at some point.

badger · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2010, 04:39:20 AM »

Quote from: Vesp on March 11, 2010, 04:20:31 AM

While this discussion is for another topic -- how hard is it to apply to plants? I've read a bit about it.. but it has always seemed out of reach.
Do you have any experience in it? I wouldn't mind seeing a grass with mescaline in it at some point.

It's more difficult to transfect plants with novel genes because plant cell structure is very different from bacterial cell structure, and you have the problem of having to modify chromosomes rather than just getting bacteria to take up a plasmid. That said, though, the equipment can be homegrown. I've seen gardening forums where growers discuss their homemade laminar flow hood setups that they use to clone plants from tiny scrapings of cells; combine this with the fact that the first "gene gun" (typically used to transfect plants these days) was made from a Crossman air pistol, and it's well within the realm of possibility.

Bluebottle · « **Reply #16 on:** March 15, 2010, 11:28:19 PM »

The big problem wouldn't be transferring the genes; this is relatively easy. The tricky bit is finding out which genes from the original organism need to be selected for transfer. I'm not sure if they've figured out which ones are responsible for mescaline production, etc. (esp. because its a complex biochemical pathway, and proteins should be easier) but I don't think it would be easy finding samples even if they had.

badger · « **Reply #17 on:** March 16, 2010, 12:06:35 AM »

It doesn't look like Lophophora williamsii has been sequenced yet, though that could be done for a few thousand dollars. Of course, figuring out which sequences correspond to which functions is more involved than just getting one big string of DNA, but that's something that could be done through volunteer work.

IIRC the cannabis genome has been sequenced, though, so perhaps THC-producing lawn grass...

Sedit · « **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2010, 05:24:03 AM »

What about NOx gas? It burns out the nerves as it smells them killing them on site IIRC. Would suck for humans but given a dogs sensitivity some NOx in the air would surely fuck there sniffer up bigtime. One issue comes into play is bomb sniffing dogs but a highenough concentration and you can bet there snooz is busted for quite a while.

DaMoose · « **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2010, 10:07:24 PM »

The tranquilization of the olfactories !
aka ' olfactory fatigue '

H2S for sure ...

Author Topic: Chemicals That Cause Anosmia - Losing the ability to perceive odors. (Read 319 times)

Vesp

Chemicals That Cause Anosmia - Losing the ability to perceive odors.

Vesp

Re: Chemicals That Cause Anosmia - Losing the ability to perceive odors.

Enkidu

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Vesp

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Enkidu

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hypnos

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Vesp

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timecube

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Vesp

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hypnos

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badger

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hypnos

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Vesp

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badger

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Vesp

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badger

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Bluebottle

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badger

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Sedit

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DaMoose

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