New treatments for cancer may appeal to patients who wish to avoid the harsh side effects of chemotherapy or whose cancer has continued to grow even after conventional medical treatment. One alternative treatment that gained popularity in the 1970s was a medication called Laetrile, which is chemically similar to amygdalin. Amygdalin occurs naturally in many fruit pits and nuts. Scientific studies have not established the effectiveness of either the natural or the synthetic version of the drug, which is no longer approved for use in the United States.
Definition
Amygdalin, which is made in Mexico from crushed apricot pits, is sometimes referred to as Laetrile, though it should not be confused with the U.S.-patented medication that was used in drug trials during the 1970s. Some advocates call amygdalin "vitamin B-17," but neither amygdalin nor Laetrile is a vitamin, which is an essential dietary element.
Effects
The active ingredient in amygdalin is purported to be cyanide contained in mandelonitrile. The breakdown of mandelonitrile releases cyanide, a potentially deadly chemical. Advocates of amygdalin claim that cyanide kills cancer cells. Two other chemicals formed from the breakdown of amygdalin, benzaldehyde and prunasin, may also have anti-cancer properties, according to the National Cancer Institute.
No Evidence
Studies on the effects of amygdalin in clinical trials are sorely lacking. Though one animal study seemed to demonstrate that amygdalin slowed cancer growth, that result has not been duplicated in subsequent studies, according to Cancer Help UK.
Risks
The risks of amygdalin are mostly related to cyanide poisoning. Amygdalin is more toxic when eaten than it is when injected as bacteria in the intestines and enzymes in food cause it to break down easily into cyanide. Injecting it causes very little breakdown, according to the National Cancer Institute. Symptoms of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, headache, bluish tinge to the skin caused by lack of oxygen, confusion, lack of coordination, fever and drooping eyelids. Cyanide poisoning is more likely to occur in people who take amygdalin and consume almonds or other amygdalin-containing nuts. Death can occur in severe cases, NYU Langone warns. While amygdalin is not approved for cancer use in the United States, some people obtain it from other countries. Talk to a doctor before using amygdalin to treat any medical condition.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Laetrile/Amygdalin
- CancerHelp UK; Laetrile (Amygdalin, Vitamin B17); December 2010
- "Supportive Care in Cancer;' Laetrile for Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence; S. Milazzo, et al.; June2007
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cyanide; January 2004
- NYU Langone Medical Center; Laetrile: Is It Really the Pits?; Debra Wood, R.N.
