title: Nitrosating properties of bis-methylthio-diiron-tetranitrosyl (Roussin's red methyl ester), a nitroso compound isolated from pickled vegetables consumed in northern China.
abstract: Bis-methylthio-diiron-tetranitrosyl (Roussin's red methyl ester, RRME), recently identified in pickled vegetables consumed in a high incidence area of oesophageal cancer in Northern China, was examined for its activity as a nitrosating agent in vivo and in vitro. Freshly synthesized RRME nitrosated secondary amines (morpholine and pyrrolidine) slowly in the presence of air; it failed to nitrosate these amines under strictly anaerobic conditions. In experiments in rats, a fresh sample of RRME was found to be a weak nitrosating agent, whereas partially decomposed RRME showed a strong nitrosating activity comparable to that of nitrite. Possible mechanisms for nitrosation by RRME are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004032:Diet; D005511:Food Handling; D009242:N-Nitrosopyrrolidine / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D014675:Vegetables / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009602:Nitrosamines; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; C028357:Roussin red methyl ester; C002741:N-nitrosomorpholine; D009242:N-Nitrosopyrrolidine