Laetrile
""Laetrile was at the height of its popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, and has since been rejected by the scientific community after a phase II controlled clinical trial in 1982 which found no evidence for the efficacy of laetrile and highlighted safety concerns."
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Laetrile is an acronym used to describe a purified, semi-synthetic form of Amygdalin (LAEvorotatory and mandeloniTRILE). Amygdalin is a naturally occurring plant compound that contains sugar and produces cyanide and is found primarily in the kernels of apricots, peaches and bitter almonds and also in plants such as lima beans, clover and sorghum. Much of what is sold as Laetrile is in fact Amygdalin, but Laetrile and Amygdalin are not the same product. The former is synthetic and the latter is non-synthetic. Furthermore, the US patented Laetrile is different to the Laetrile/Amygdalin produced in Mexico (the latter is not synthetic).
The main active cancer-killing ingredient of Laetrile is thought to be cyanide, this has caused serious concerns over toxicity. Laetrile is reported to be an anti-cancer treatment or even cure. It was at the height of its popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, and has since been rejected by the scientific community after a phase II controlled clinical trial in 1982 which found no evidence for the efficacy of laetrile and highlighted safety concerns. Laetrile/Amygdalin/B17 is associated with potential toxic effects at certain doses (cyanide poisoning) and liver problems.
