Amygdalin: A Natural Cure for Cancer

Amygdalin has been used in the treatment of cancer for many years. Normally amygdalin is a compound which is present in the seeds of a specific fruit. It was Russia who first extracted this compound and began using it as a treatment for cancer-induced victims. However, the earliest pill form of the compound was found to be too toxic and the production was discontinued. It was not later than the 1950s that a more stable and synthetic form of amygdalin was manufactured, known as Laetrile. Laetrile became very popular in America as the only single cancer-curing agent in the world. However, the medicine was banned by the orders of the U.S. Supreme Court during the 1980s. All other countries still use Laetrile for the treatment of cancer, though.

As said before, amygdalin can be traced back to the pits of various raw nuts and fruits. It is also found in sorghum and clover plants. Hydrogen cyanide, the main component responsible for treating the cancer cells, is formed when laetrile is broken down in the body. Amygdalin is the unpurified form. Only after it is extracted tat the compound is ready for use. There are two versions of the amygdalin available in the market. One is the man made a synthetic version which was patented by the US and there is the one available in Mexico which is manufactured from crushed apricot seeds.

Laetrile Under the Scope

The laetrile when broken down can be divided into three components. They are hydrogen cyanide, prunasin, and benzaldehyde. Two of these compounds are said to block the cancer cells, which are hydrogen cyanide and benzaldehyde. Here are some theories that state as to how the compound goes about doing its job in preventing the cancer cells from spreading further.

• It is considered that cancer is caused due to the inefficiency of a particular vitamin and that amygdalin is the missing link in the chain. It acts as a supplement in place of that missing vitamin and helps the body to restore itself. However, there has been no proven records or evidence that suggest the fact that laetrile is required by the body or it can possibly act as a suitable substitute for the missing vitamins, both in the case of humans and animals.
• Another theory suggests that there is a certain enzyme composition in the cancer cells. The typical composition of the laetrile allows it to be toxic towards the cancerous cells. There is some proof to support this kind of proposal, as the normal tissues and the cancerous tissues have a different amount of these enzymes. Hence, the laetrile cells may target the cancerous cells and will not harm the healthy cells.
• A fourth theory suggests that the toxic effects the laetrile kills the cancer cells completely and puts a halt to their growth. This not only stops the cancerous cells from spreading but also boosts the all over the immune system of the body.

Administration

The laetrile can be administered into an individual in two different ways, either by injection or by mouth. There are pills which have to be orally delivered into the human body. In the case of injection, it is delivered intravenously over a certain period of time. As a later stage of the treatment, and to further stress upon the benefit of the previous therapy, it is sometimes ingested orally, as a prolonged stage of therapy.

Reports

Here are a few case studies and reports about patients treated with laetrile:

• During 1962, there were 10 patients were treated with laetrile in order to treat their metastatic cancer. A wide range of doses was delivered to these patients intravenously. Pain relief reduced swelling in lymph nodes and reduction in the tumor size are some of the reported incidents of laetrile treatment. However, no long-term treatment was continued and hence, it not known whether there are any long-term benefits to this kind of treatment or not.
• Another form of treatment included the introduction to benzaldehyde. there were standard clinical trials with the laetrile. When the patients did not respond to the threat, went they were treated with benzaldehyde. as long as the treatment continued, patients showed reduced or no signs of cancer.