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. 1981 Feb;134(2):97–103.

Amygdalin Toxicity Studies in Rats Predict Chronic Cyanide Poisoning in Humans

George W Newton 1,2,3,4, Eric S Schmidt 1,2,3,4, Jerry P Lewis 1,2,3,4, Ruth Lawrence 1,2,3,4, Eric Conn 1,2,3,4
PMCID: PMC1272529  PMID: 7222669

Abstract

Significant amounts of cyanide are released when amygdalin (Laetrile), a cyanogenic glycoside, is given orally or intravenously to rats. The amount of cyanide liberated following oral administration is dependent in part on the bacterial flora of the gut and can be suppressed by antibiotic pretreatment of the animals. Bacteria from human feces likewise hydrolyze amygdalin with release of cyanide. Humans taking amygdalin orally in the hope of preventing cancer are likely to be exposed to levels of cyanide in excess of that associated with the development of tropical ataxic neuropathy in people of underdeveloped countries where food containing cyanogenic glycosides is a staple part of the diet.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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