Laetrile

Bitter almond/Drug Interactions:

  • AlcoholAlcohol: Almond oil was shown in mice to be an inducer of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase. This finding suggests a possible adverse interaction between almond oil and alcohol. Bitter almond may result in a disulfiram-like flushing reaction with concomitant alcohol use (28).
  • AnalgesicsAnalgesics: Amygdalin was shown to have an analgesic effect in mice without inducing tolerance. It did not show evidence of anti-inflammatory activity (29).
  • CNS depressantsCNS depressants: Theoretically, depressant effects caused by bitter almond may be potentiated when administered with CNS depressants.
  • ImmunosuppressantsImmunosuppressants: A synthetic analogue of amygdalin that lacked a cyanide group exhibited similar responses as peptide T, a peptide shown to resolve psoriatic lesions, in human keratinocytes (8).
  • Renally eliminated drugsRenally eliminated drugs: After intravenous laetrile, amygdalin has been shown to be excreted primarily unchanged with urinary recoveries as high as 100%. Peak plasma levels following a 6g intramuscular dose of laetrile were 180mcg/mL (30).
  • SedativesSedatives: Theoretically, depressant effects caused by bitter almond may be potentiated when administered with CNS depressants.

    • Bitter almond/Herb/Supplement Interactions:

  • AnalgesicsAnalgesics: Amygdalin was shown to have an analgesic effect in mice without inducing tolerance. It did not show evidence of anti-inflammatory activity (29).
  • CNS depressantsCNS depressants: Theoretically, depressant effects caused by bitter almond may be potentiated when administered with CNS depressants.
  • ImmunostimulantsImmunostimulants: A synthetic analogue of amygdalin that lacked a cyanide group exhibited similar responses as peptide T, a peptide shown to resolve psoriatic lesions, in human keratinocytes (8).
  • ImmunosuppressantsImmunosuppressants: A synthetic analogue of amygdalin that lacked a cyanide group exhibited similar responses as peptide T, a peptide shown to resolve psoriatic lesions, in human keratinocytes (8).
  • Renally eliminated herbs and supplementsRenally eliminated herbs and supplements: After intravenous laetrile, amygdalin has been shown to be excreted primarily unchanged with urinary recoveries as high as 100%. Peak plasma levels following a 6g intramuscular dose of laetrile were 180mcg/mL (30).
  • SedativesSedatives: Theoretically, depressant effects caused by bitter almond may be potentiated when administered with CNS depressants.

    • Bitter almond/Food Interactions:

  • Alcohol-containing foodsAlcohol-containing foods: Almond oil was shown in mice to be an inducer of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase. This finding suggests a possible adverse interaction between almond oil and alcohol. Bitter almond may result in a disulfiram-like flushing reaction with concomitant alcohol use (28).
  • Raw almondsRaw almonds: When using bitter almond products or laetrile, concomitant ingestion of raw almonds has been reported in several cases to increase the incidence of cyanide poisoning (13; 16).

    • Bitter almond/Lab Interactions:

  • Insufficient available evidence.