Mutagenicity of Dimethylglycine When Mixed with Nitrite: Possible Significance in Human Use of Pangamates

Summary

Nearly all formulations of the health food product variously tradenamed “B₁₅,” vitamin B₁₅, pangamic acid, and pangamate contain either dichloroacetate (DCA) or dimethylglycine hydrochloride (DMG). We previously reported that DCA is mutagenic, and tested DMG in the current study under nitrosating conditions anticipated during human ingestion. It was not mutagenic alone. When DMG was pre-incubated with sodium nitrite to simulate exposure to salivary and gastric nitrites, and incubated at 37°C for 45 min at pH 4 to simulate the period before gastric emptying, and then tested using appropriate controls, a characteristic dose-related mutagenic effect was observed, presumably due to nitrosation products such as dimethylnitrosamine and nitrososarcosine.