EMA nitrosamine Q&A Appendix 1 rev.7 published on Dec 13, 2024

12 NAs are newly included, and the limit of two NAs is updated. In addition, 17 other nitroso compounds are included. Details will be described in the following posts.

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/other/appendix-1-acceptable-intakes-established-n-nitrosamines_en.xlsx

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New nitrosamines;

Name Source CPCA Category AI(ng/day)
N-nitroso-anabasine Nicotine 4 1500
N-nitroso-anatabine Nicotine 4 1500
N-nitroso-desmethyl-chlorphenamine Chlorphenamine 1 18
N-Nitroso-desmethyl-eletriptan Eletriptan 4 1500
N-nitroso-desmethyl-galantamine Galantamine 1 18
N-nitroso-desmethyl-rizatriptan Rizatriptan 1 18
N-nitroso-desmethyl-zolmitriptan zolmitriptan 1 18
N-nitroso-ivacaftor Ivacaftor 5 1500
N-nitroso-nilotinib Nilotinib 5 1500
N-nitroso-nornicotine Nicotine 100
N-nitroso-nor-oxycodone Nalmefene 4 1500

Updated nitrosamines;

Name Source CPCA Category AI(ng/day)
N-nitroso-bupropion Bupropion NMI
N-nitroso-ketamine Ketamine 5 1500

For N-nitroso-ketamine, the AI is the same as before. However, a note is added. “LTL cannot be applied and the AI will be capped at 1500ng as the substance tested positive in in vivo and in in vitro mutagenicity studies.”

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Other N-nitroso compounds;

Name Source AI(ng/day)
N-nitroso-biotin D-biotin 1500
N-nitroso-cimetidine Cimetidine 553
N-nitroso-clonidine Clonidine 553
N-nitroso-clonidine-2 Clonidine 553
N-nitroso-eletriptan Eletriptan 1500
N-nitroso-melatonin Melatonin 1500
N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine 553
1-Nitroso-moxonidine Impurity 3 Moxonidine 553
1-Nitroso-moxonidine Moxonidine 553
N-nitroso-naratriptan Naratriptan 1500
N-nitroso-rizatriptan Rizatriptan 1500
N-nitroso-sumatriptan Sumatriptan 1500
N-nitroso-tadalafil Tadalafil 1500
N-nitroso-tizanidine Tizanidine 553
N-nitroso-tizanidine Impurity 3 Tizanidine 553
N-nitroso-tryptophol Tryptophol 1500
N-nitroso-zolmitriptan Zolmitriptan 1500

According to the note, the AI of N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine was calculated to 553 ng/day from TD50 and used as a surrogate for some N-nitroso compounds whose alfa-carbon is double-bonded to nitrogen.

The AI of N-nitroso compounds with negative bacterial reverse mutation test and N-nitroso-indoles is 1500 ng/day.

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dear Yosuke thank you for the updates

what is a bit confusing to me is that CPCA (which its base is Limit derived using structure-activity-relationship, physicochemical features and weight of evidence for N-nitroso-indoles based on C- nitro and C-nitroso-aromatic compounds) should not be applied for N-nitrosamines where the N-nitroso group is attached to a nitrogen within a hetero aromatic ring (e.g., nitrosated indole).

so i would welcome any comments and insights from your end and from other colleagues as well.
BR

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According to ICH M7, nitroso-derivatives are included in the so called Cohort of concern, however, health authorities have limited the guidance documents so far to nitrosamines. Including nitroso-ureas, nitroso-guanidines, aromatic nitrosamines, nitroso (3 substituted) indoles in this list appears to be a logical step toward harmonization with ICH M7.
As these compounds have a different mutagenic mechanism then dialkylnitrosamines, their AI levels do not align with the CPCA approach, adding another level of complexity.

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Dear Mircea,
i think you got the point very well, your explanation seems very reasonable.
And yes, complexity will be levels up…

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Dear @elenipoliti,

Thank you for asking. I agree with Mircea. You might confuse other N-nitroso compounds (ex. N-nitroso-indoles) with nitrosamines. The EMA separated other N-nitroso compounds from nitrosamines in the document. They are not considered nitrosamines because they have different characteristics from nitrosamines. The following thread helps you understand the key points.

Yosuke

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