Protection against oral and gastrointestinal diseases: Importance of dietary nitrate intake, oral nitrate reduction and enterosalivary nitrate circulation
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, dietary nitrate has been implicated in the formation of methemoglobin and carcinogenic nitrosamines in humans. This has led to restrictions of nitrate and nitrite levels in food and drinking water. However, there is no epidemiological evidence for an increased risk of gastric and intestinal cancer in population groups with high dietary vegetable or nitrate intake. A reevaluation of our currently very negative perception of dietary nitrates comes from recent research into the metabolism and enterosalivary circulation of nitrate in mammals. These studies showed that nitrate is converted to nitrite in the oral cavity that then "fuels" an important mammalian resistance mechanism against infectious diseases. Moreover, there is now evidence that the conversion of nitrate into oxides of nitrogen prevents the formation carcinogenic nitrosamines.
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In vitro studies have shown that gastric juice and nitrite have markedly better antimicrobial effects on known enteropathogens compared with gastric juice alone.
“Indeed, in vitro studies have shown that gastric juice and nitrite have markedly better antimicrobial effects on known enteropathogens compared with gastric juice alone.9,59 -62”
From Nitrate-Nitrite-Nitric Oxide Pathway: Implications for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (2010) · cites this paper as [59]
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- Authors
- Duncan, C., Li, H., Dykhuizen, R., Frazer, R., Johnston, P., MacKnight, G., Smith, L., Lamza, K., McKenzie, H., Batt, L., Kelly, D., Golden, M., Benjamin, N., & Leifert, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Yunnan Normal University (CN)
- St Bartholomew's Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Leifert, Carlo
- Venue
- Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1997-12
- Volume
- 118
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 939-948
- ISSN
- 0300-9629 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2155604841
- Cited by
- 147
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 0.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Keywords
- dietary nitrate, nitrite, nitric oxide, methemoglobinemia, nitrosamines, gastric cancer, intestinal cancer, oral cavity, infection resistance
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Diet, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Humans, Mouth Diseases, Nitrates, Saliva
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