Amygdalin is also often referred to as vitamin B17. However, this is a misnomer, as this compound does not meet the criteria of a classic vitamin.
Amygdalin was first developed from bitter almonds in the 1830s by French chemists Robiquet and Boutron-Charlard. Soon after, the first attempts were made to use it in cancer therapy.
In the 1920s, the American biochemist Ernst Theodor Krebs Sr. shared with the world a theory that initiated a debate that continues to this day. According to him, amygdalin can be successfully used to treat cancer, unfortunately, due to its toxic properties, it cannot be given to patients.
His son Ernst Theodor Krebs Jr. continued his research, trying to develop a supposedly less toxic semi-synthetic derivative of amygdalin, Laetrile. Its main ingredient, however, remained natural amygdalin, which has strong poisonous properties.
Amygdalin - what is its antitumor effect
There are a number of hypotheses about why amygdalin has anti-cancer effects. One of the most popular points indicates that food refining, genetic modification of food, and the use of pesticides in food cultivation have led to the fact that amygdalin has been largely removed from the Western diet.
According to this theory, one of the reasons for the increase in cancer incidence, which has been observed in this part of the world for many years and which continues to deepen, may be a deficiency of amygdalin in food, which, like a traditional vitamin, should be necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
This hypothesis should explain why some communities in the world, such as the Hunza tribe in the Himalayas, American Indians or Eskimos, who live in their natural habitat and consume natural, unclean or artificially fortified food, suffer less from cancer. In this case, it does not matter which diet they eat - vegetable or meat, although amygdalin is present mainly in plants. Animal products can also be a source of this if they eat foods rich in this compound, such as arrow grass.
According to another hypothesis, cyanide formed during the breakdown of amygdalin has a toxic effect on cancer cells, preventing their growth and stimulating the immune system.
Amygdalin - why is it toxic?
Amygdalin is broken down in the body into glucose, benzoic aldehyde and toxic hydrogen cyanide. And it is this last, highly toxic compound with a bitter almond smell that can lead to fatal poisoning.
Hydrogen cyanide is formed together with water, which is called "water-alkali". A fetid acid, the salts of which are called cyanides.
To understand how dangerous hydrogen cyanide is, it is enough to know that it is classified as a chemical warfare agent, which is the main component of chemical weapons.
The lethal dose of hydrogen cyanide is 1 mg per kg of body weight. For example, 1 bitter almond contains about 1 mg of hydrogen cyanide. This means that in the case of a small child, ingestion of a dozen can be fatal.
Amygdalin is what scientific research says
The properties of amygdalin and their effect on health are still largely unexplored.
What we know for sure about amygdalin is that it has anti-atherosclerotic, anti-asthmatic and anti-inflammatory effects. It helps to reduce pain and has beneficial effects on the immune and digestive systems.
In vivo studies conducted many years ago questioning the effect of amygdalin on cancer treatment are insufficient and controversial.
Therefore, despite the fact that to this day there is no irrefutable evidence of the anticarcinogenic effects of amygdalin, this compound remains in the field of interests of scientists studying this problem.
In recent years, in vitro studies have shown that amygdalin has different effects on different types of cancer cells, and its effectiveness increases with increasing concentration and time of exposure to cells.
To determine the anti-cancer potential of amygdalin, further studies are needed both in the laboratory and in living organisms. Interested in fair play and certified randomness? Learn about RNGs and licensing details at Online roulette to confirm the integrity of each spin.
Amygdalin was first developed from bitter almonds in the 1830s by French chemists Robiquet and Boutron-Charlard. Soon after, the first attempts were made to use it in cancer therapy.
In the 1920s, the American biochemist Ernst Theodor Krebs Sr. shared with the world a theory that initiated a debate that continues to this day. According to him, amygdalin can be successfully used to treat cancer, unfortunately, due to its toxic properties, it cannot be given to patients.
His son Ernst Theodor Krebs Jr. continued his research, trying to develop a supposedly less toxic semi-synthetic derivative of amygdalin, Laetrile. Its main ingredient, however, remained natural amygdalin, which has strong poisonous properties.
Amygdalin - what is its antitumor effect
There are a number of hypotheses about why amygdalin has anti-cancer effects. One of the most popular points indicates that food refining, genetic modification of food, and the use of pesticides in food cultivation have led to the fact that amygdalin has been largely removed from the Western diet.
According to this theory, one of the reasons for the increase in cancer incidence, which has been observed in this part of the world for many years and which continues to deepen, may be a deficiency of amygdalin in food, which, like a traditional vitamin, should be necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
This hypothesis should explain why some communities in the world, such as the Hunza tribe in the Himalayas, American Indians or Eskimos, who live in their natural habitat and consume natural, unclean or artificially fortified food, suffer less from cancer. In this case, it does not matter which diet they eat - vegetable or meat, although amygdalin is present mainly in plants. Animal products can also be a source of this if they eat foods rich in this compound, such as arrow grass.
According to another hypothesis, cyanide formed during the breakdown of amygdalin has a toxic effect on cancer cells, preventing their growth and stimulating the immune system.
Amygdalin - why is it toxic?
Amygdalin is broken down in the body into glucose, benzoic aldehyde and toxic hydrogen cyanide. And it is this last, highly toxic compound with a bitter almond smell that can lead to fatal poisoning.
Hydrogen cyanide is formed together with water, which is called "water-alkali". A fetid acid, the salts of which are called cyanides.
To understand how dangerous hydrogen cyanide is, it is enough to know that it is classified as a chemical warfare agent, which is the main component of chemical weapons.
The lethal dose of hydrogen cyanide is 1 mg per kg of body weight. For example, 1 bitter almond contains about 1 mg of hydrogen cyanide. This means that in the case of a small child, ingestion of a dozen can be fatal.
Amygdalin is what scientific research says
The properties of amygdalin and their effect on health are still largely unexplored.
What we know for sure about amygdalin is that it has anti-atherosclerotic, anti-asthmatic and anti-inflammatory effects. It helps to reduce pain and has beneficial effects on the immune and digestive systems.
In vivo studies conducted many years ago questioning the effect of amygdalin on cancer treatment are insufficient and controversial.
Therefore, despite the fact that to this day there is no irrefutable evidence of the anticarcinogenic effects of amygdalin, this compound remains in the field of interests of scientists studying this problem.
In recent years, in vitro studies have shown that amygdalin has different effects on different types of cancer cells, and its effectiveness increases with increasing concentration and time of exposure to cells.
To determine the anti-cancer potential of amygdalin, further studies are needed both in the laboratory and in living organisms. Interested in fair play and certified randomness? Learn about RNGs and licensing details at Online roulette to confirm the integrity of each spin.