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Metabolism and activation of nitrosamines catalysed by cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes

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N-Oxidation of Drugs

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Abstract

Nitrosamines are a group of nitrogenous compounds that are widely distributed in the environment and can also be synthesized endogenously (Bartsch and Montesano, 1984). Many of these compounds are potent carcinogens showing remarkable tissue and species specificity. Since the discovery of the carcinogenicity of NDMA, the metabolism of nitrosamines has been studied extensively (Magee and Barnes, 1967; Lai and Arcos, 1980). Although α-hydroxylation has been shown many years ago to be a key step in the activation of nitrosamines the enzymatic mechanisms of the metabolic activation of some of these compounds are not clearly understood. The lack of such information has hindered our progress in understanding the tissue and species specific carcinogenicity of nitrosamines. In this review, the enzymes and mechanisms involved in the activation of NDMA and other nitrosamines are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Biology and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    C. S. Yang, T. Smith, H. Ishizaki, J. S. H. Yoo & J.-Y. Hong

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  1. C. S. Yang
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  2. T. Smith
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  3. H. Ishizaki
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  4. J. S. H. Yoo
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  5. J.-Y. Hong
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany

    P. Hlavica (Full Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology) (Full Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology)

  2. Chelsea Department of Pharmacy, King’s College, University of London, UK

    L. A. Damani (Lecturer in Biopharmacy) (Lecturer in Biopharmacy)

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© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Yang, C.S., Smith, T., Ishizaki, H., Yoo, J.S.H., Hong, JY. (1991). Metabolism and activation of nitrosamines catalysed by cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes. In: Hlavica, P., Damani, L.A. (eds) N-Oxidation of Drugs. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3112-4_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3112-4_17

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