nitrosamines

nitrosamines

[nīt′rəsam′ēnz]

potentially carcinogenic compounds produced by reactions of nitrites with amines or amides normally present in the body. Nitrites are produced by bacteria in saliva and in the intestine from nitrates normally present in vegetables and in nitrate-treated fish, poultry, and meats. More than 70% of ingested nitrates are from vegetables.

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nitrosamines

highly hepatotoxic compounds formed in the rumen by the combination of amines and nitrite. They do not appear to occur naturally in large quantities. Nitrosamine poisoning has also been caused by feeding nitrite-treated fishmeal and Solanum incanum.

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nitrosamines

Clinical toxicology A class of complex organic nitrogen molecules, formed in the stomach by a reaction between nitrites and the amine groups of certain proteins, or ingested preformed in beer and certain drugs, or absorbed from cigarette smoke–the nitrosamine levels in smokers is up to 8-fold that of nonsmokers; the reaction between nitrites and amines can be inhibited with antioxidants–eg, vitamins C and E, etc; nitrosamines are implicated in CA of stomach, esophagus, nasopharynx, urinary bladder, etc. Cf Nitrates, Nitrites, Nitrogen, Sodium nitrate.