Antimicrobial effect of acidified nitrite on gut pathogens: importance of dietary nitrate in host defense
Open accessAbstract
Dietary intake of nitrate generates salivary nitrite, which is acidified in the stomach, leading to a number of reactive intermediates of nitrogen, among which are the potentially carcinogenic N-nitrosamines. Acidified nitrite, however, also has antimicrobial activity which coincides with the formation of nitric oxide. The present study examines the antimicrobial effect in vitro of acidified nitrite on Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella sonnei, and Escherichia coli O157. First-order regression plots showed a linear inverse relationship of log-transformed proton and nitrite concentrations with MICs and MBCs after 30 min, 2 h, and 24 h of exposure (P < 0.001 for all antibacterial activities). Susceptibility to the acidified nitrate solutions ranked as follows: Y. enterocolitica > S. enteritidis > S. typhimurium = Shigella sonnei > E. coli O157 (P < 0.05). Addition of SCN-, but not that of CI-, increased the antibacterial activity (paired t testing, P < 0.001). Generation of salivary nitrite from dietary nitrate may provide significant protection against gut pathogens in humans.
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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 [60]
Inhalation of nitric oxide does not only vasodilate pulmonary vessels but has also distant effects.
“It is noteworthy that inhalation of nitric oxide does not only vasodilate pulmonary vessels but has also distant effects.159,160”
From Nitrate-Nitrite-Nitric Oxide Pathway: Implications for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (2010) · cites this paper as [160]
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- Authors
- Dykhuizen, R. S., Frazer, R., Duncan, C., Smith, C. C., Golden, M., Benjamin, N., & Leifert, C.
- Affiliations
- Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (GB)
- Venue
- Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Published
- 1996-06
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1422-1425
- ISSN
- 0066-4804 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-6596
- PMC
- PMC163343
- OpenAlex
- W2131085070
- Cited by
- 239
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 14.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Escherichia coli research studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Keywords
- dietary nitrate, salivary nitrite, antimicrobial activity, gut pathogens, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli O157, nitric oxide, thiocyanate, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, host defense
- MeSH terms
- Diet, Escherichia coli, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Nitrates, Nitrites, Salmonella, Shigella sonnei, Stomach, Yersinia enterocolitica
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