[[File:Amygdalin.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Apricot Kernels]]Other Names : Vitamin B17, nitriloside, laevo-mandelonitrile-beta-glucuronoside. Amygdalin is the substance that occurs naturally in plants. Laetrile is a trade name for a synthesized compound, laevo-mandelonitrile-beta-glucuronoside. This compound is chemically similar to amygdalin, but isn't the same molecule<br>See also : * [[Apricot Kernel]]* [[Hunza]] Diet<br>* [[Metabolic Therapy]]
Apricot kernels contain a high amount of vitamin B17, which is also known as laetrile, amygdalin or nitriloside. The amygdalin compound has four molecules. Two are glucose molecules. The other two are cyanide and benzaldyhide. The last two are scarycompounds, except for a couple of unusual metabolic activities: they are released by and into cancer cells only. Otherwise, they remain in the amygdalin compound and are passed through. It's a very clever arrangement. The cancer cells depend on fermenting sugar (glucose) for their energy instead of oxygen. So the cancer cells attract the amygdalin compounds for their glucose, but are whacked when they metabolize those compounds that free the benzalldyhide and cyanide. The glucose is the sugar bait. Cancer cells contain an enzyme that is not found in healthy cells, beta-glucosidase.The beta-glucosidase enzyme "unlocks" the amygdalin compound, releasing the deadly toxins within the cancer cell. Only cancer cells metabolize amygdalin. Healthy normal cells don't. Most non-cancerous cells contain another enzyme, rhodanese. Free cyanide molecules are bound to sulfur molecules by rhodanese, creating harmless cyanates that are eliminated in the urine.
Amygdaline is found in seeds such as the apple, peach, cherry, grapes, orange and nectarine. It is found with the highest concentration and necessary enzymes in apricot seed kernels. It is also found in millet, [[Wheat Grass]], lima beans and mung beans. The hard wooden pit in the middle of the apricot or peach for example, is not supposed to be thrown away. In fact, the wooden shell is actually a strong armor protecting one of the most important foods known to man, the seed. It is one of the main courses of food in cultures such as the Navajo Indians, the Hunzakuts, the Abkhazians and many more. Cultures such as these have never had a reported case of cancer when eating their traditional foods!
== Special Precautions of Amygdalin (Laetrile) ==
* Consult your doctor before using any presented information Although laetrile could be beneficial for preventing cancer and as a form part of treatment. Use alternative an overall anti-cancer treatments as a supplement to treatments you receive from your doctor — protocol, it should not be used as a substitute standalone treatment for medical carecancer. Apply When you delve into laetrile success stories you will almost invariably find that the treatment only under control of an expertpeople who used laetrile also used other supplemental items as well as adopted healthier diets and lifestyles.
* There is a high risk of developing serious adverse effects due to cyanide poisoning after laetrile or amygdalin, especially after oral ingestion. This risk could increase with concomitant intake of vitamin C and in vegetarians with vitamin B12 deficiency.
* The Food Standards Agency (UK) has advised people to take no more than two bitter apricot kernels a day. Higher doses could be dangerous for human health. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), it has received reports from various parts of the world of people overdosing with apricot seeds.
== The benefits of Amygdalin (Laetrile) are ==
* A primitive tribe, the [[Hunza]]s, were known to consume large amounts of apricot seed kernels. The hard pit had to be broken to get into the soft kernels. There was no incidence of cancer with them at all, ever. And they had long, healthy life spans. Laetrile was created by simply extracting amagdylin from the soft apricot kernels, purifying it and putting it into a concentrated form. Laetrile appears to work because the nutrient is actually composed of four separate molecules: two of glucose, one of benzaldyhide and one of cyanide. The latter two chemicals are toxic, but are bound up in a non-bioavailable form. Cancer cells contain an enzyme that healthy cells do not, known as beta-glucosidase. This enzyme actually breaks apart the component pieces of laetrile, and the cell is poisoned by a combination of benzaldyhide and cyanide. Healthy cells do not undergo this effect, which is why they remain unaffected by laetrile.* Cancer : There is controversy about apricot seeds and the claims made about it as a cancer cure. At Medical News Today we have had hundreds of letters from patients on this subject. Some people say it is wonderful while others say it made them feel worse. There are many indications that taking apricot kernels helps preventing [[cancer]].
* Vitamin B17 (Laetrile) is also an immune system enhancer.
* The Food Standards Agency (UK) has advised people to take no more than two bitter the apricot kernels a day. Higher doses could be dangerous for human health. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA)kernel oil gives anti spasmodic effect, it has received reports provides relief from various parts of the world of people overdosing with apricot seedsstrained muscles.
== References ==