[Mechanism of promoting effects of riboflavin deficiency on carcinogenesis of nitrosamines--effects on rat liver glutathione content].

The effect of riboflavin deficiency and simultaneously, nitrosodimethylamine given by gastric intubation on the glutathione content of rat liver is reported. On different days of the experiments, glutathione content in the riboflavin deficient rat liver decreased to 55-61% of the controls. When nitrosodimethylamine was given by gastric intubation, glutathione content decreased markedly to 39-43% of the controls. The hepatic glutathione content of riboflavin deficient rats recovered to the level of the controls by supplying riboflavin. The alteration of rat hepatic glutathione content during riboflavin deficiency may imply as one of the promoting effects of riboflavin deficiency on the carcinogenesis of nitrosamines.