title: Nitrites and nitrates in the human diet: Carcinogens or beneficial hypotensive agents?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of nitrite in the human diet was thought to constitute a hazard as secondary nitrosamines are known to cause gastric cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recent publications on the physiology of serum nitrite have been consulted.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Nitrite is added to some foodstuffs as an antibotulinum agent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidemiological evidence that nitrite causes gastric ulcers is weak. On the other hand, evidence that the presence of nitrite in serum lowers blood pressure is strong. This allows us to explain why a Tang dynasty treatment for angina, given in a Dunhuang medical manuscript, can be successful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of nitrite in food is free of danger and a diet high in nitrate is beneficial to the health.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009566:Nitrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009602:Nitrosamines
keywords: Angina; Gastric cancer; Hypotensive agent; Nitrate; Nitrate (PubChem CID: 943); Nitrite; Nitrite (PubChem CID: 946); Nitrosamine (PubChem CID: 371830); Nitrosamines