Bitter Almond and Laetrile : Safety and Interactions

by MedlinePlus

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Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Allergies

Allergies to almonds are common and have lead to severe reactions, including throat swelling that interferes with breathing, and painful swelling under the skin ("angioedema"). If you are allergic to other nuts, it is probably best to avoid almonds. After three weeks of laetrile therapy, a patient developed redness of the skin with a spotted rash. Within two days of stopping laetrile after treatment with cortisone, the rash subsided.

Side Effects and Warnings

Laetrile, derived from the amygdalin found in the pits of fruits and nuts such as the bitter almond, is considered unsafe in any form due to its potential for causing cyanide toxicity. Reactions are more severe when laetrile is taken by mouth than when injected within a vein or into muscle. Some of the side effects have included dilated pupils, dizziness, drooping eyelids, drowsiness, headache, increased breathing, muscle weakness, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting. High doses of bitter almond or laetrile may lead to a slowing of brain functions or breathing. Several cases of cyanide poisoning (some fatal) have been reported.

In one case, a woman who was taking laetrile for five years developed decreased white blood cells, and when she stopped taking laetrile, the condition disappeared. Another case involved a 22-year-old male who took 12 to 18 laetrile tablets at once in order to make up for missed doses, developed seizures and was admitted to the hospital for cyanide poisoning. An "odor" that smelled like almonds was noted by the hospital staff. Life support measures and treatment for poisoning allowed the patient to fully recover. An 11 month-old girl swallowed one to five 500 milligram laetrile tablets and after 30 minutes was brought to the hospital in a coma with shock and irregular breathing. The patient died within four days. Most cases of overdose have been treated with supportive care, washing out the stomach, hydration, oxygen therapy (with respiratory assistance), and medications like amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, and sodium thiosulfate to decrease cyanide levels. Drowsiness or sedation may occur with bitter almond. Use caution if you are driving or operating heavy machinery.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Bitter almonds are not recommended due to insufficient available data and potential risk for birth defects. One study reports that laetrile given by mouth to pregnant hamsters causes abnormal skeleton formation in offspring, but intravenous laetrile may not.

Interactions

Most herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested for interactions with other herbs, supplements, drugs, or foods. The interactions listed below are based on reports in scientific publications, laboratory experiments, or traditional use. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy.

Interactions with Drugs

In theory, bitter almond may increase the amount of drowsiness caused by some drugs. Examples include benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (Ativan®) or diazepam (Valium®), barbiturates such as phenobarbital, narcotics such as codeine, some antidepressants, and alcohol. Caution is advised while driving or operating machinery. Avoid the use of alcohol as almond oil was shown in mice to cause a toxic reaction (nausea, vomiting, increased breathing, sweating) when taken with alcohol.

Interactions with Herbs and Dietary Supplements

In theory, bitter almond may increase the amount of drowsiness caused by some herbs or supplements. Examples may include: calamus, calendula, California poppy, capsicum, catnip, celery, couch grass, dogwood, elecampane, German chamomile, goldenseal, gotu kola, hops, kava (may help sleep without drowsiness), lavender aromatherapy, lemon balm, sage, sassafras, skullcap, shepherd's purse, Siberian ginseng, St. John's wort, stinging nettle, valerian, wild carrot, wild lettuce, withania root, and yerba mansa. Caution is advised while driving or operating machinery.

Interactions with Foods

There are no reliable published reports of interactions with food.

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