Induction of tumours in rats by feeding nitrosatable amines together with sodium nitrite

Feed containing 0.2% allantoin or diphenhydramine (as the hydrochloride) or 0.1% chlorpheniramine (as the maleate), with or without 0.2% sodium nitrite, was given ad lib. to groups of 20 or 24 male and 20 or 24 female F344 rats for 106 wk. Groups of 24 male and 24 female F344 rats were given drinking-water that contained N,N-dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide at a concentration of 0.1%, with or without 0.2% sodium nitrite, for 93 wk. Control rats were given untreated feed or drinking-water and nitrite-treated controls were given sodium nitrite at a concentration of 0.2% in feed or drinking-water. At the end of the treatment period the rats were given untreated feed and water and observed until death. There was little or no life-shortening effect in any treatment group. None of the four amines administered alone induced an increase in the incidence of any tumour in comparison with the untreated control groups. In the male rats given diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine or N,N-dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide concurrently with nitrite there was a significant increase in the incidence of liver neoplasms (hepatocellular carcinomas and neoplastic nodules). In the groups given untreated feed or drinking-water there were, respectively, five and three male rats that had liver tumours. In contrast the number of male rats with liver tumours was ten in the group given dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide plus nitrite, 11 in that given diphenhydramine plus nitrite and 14 (eight with carcinomas) in the group given chlorpheniramine plus nitrite. These results suggest that the ingestion of dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide, diphenhydramine hydrochloride or chlorpheniramine under conditions when they could be nitrosated with nitrite in the stomach might present an increased carcinogenic risk.