烟草去甲基尼古丁产生的机理

烟叶的采收后处理和加工过程中, 大量的尼古丁经去甲基化作用生成了去甲基尼古丁, 后者是烟草特有的亚硝胺类(tobacco-specific nitrosamines, TSNAs)致癌物— — 亚硝基去甲基尼古丁(nitrosonornicotine, NNN)的前体, 与人类健康息息相关。由于尼古丁去甲基化反应在基础理论研究和商业上的重要价值, 长期以来关于这个反应的机制研究一直是学术界的热点。本文讨论了尼古丁去甲基化反应研究的历史概况、反应机制假说的演变及影响该反应的因素, 期望通过对烟草尼古丁去甲基化反应研究的总结, 为烟草品质提高和低毒害烟草制品的研究与开发提供一定的参考。

Mechanism of Nicotine N-demethylation to Nornicotine in Tobacco

Nornicotine is produced by the N-demethylation of nicotine during the post-harvest treatment of tobacco leaves.Nornicotine in tobacco serves as the precursor in synthesis of the well-characterized carcinogen N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), one of the tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), and consequently damages the health of tobacco smokers and passive smokers. Studies of the mechanism of nicotine N-demethylation have, over the last decades, attracted serious attention because of its importance in plant physiological research and commerce. In this review, we discuss the history and mechanisms of nicotine Ndemethylation and the factors that affect this enzymatic reaction. The current advances in nicotine N-demethylation in tobacco provide important insights into improving the quality of tobacco and developing hazard-reduced tobacco products.