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.

What is the definition of amygdalin?
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.

What is the effects of amygdalin?

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.

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