Apricot Seeds for Cancer: Glimpses of Hope?
The apricot seed - also called the 'apricot kernel' - is a humble, fingernail-size seed nestled in the heart of the apricot fruit. Surprisingly, this seed may offer hope to people with cancer. Around the mid-1800s, many medical practitioners began taking interest in using apricot seeds to treat cancer. One method was cancer patients would simply eat the seeds. Another involved extracting a bitter compound named amygdalin from the seeds. This was then fed to patients. However, neither apricot seeds nor amygdalin have gained acceptance in conventional medicine. The main concern raised by medical professionals is the potential for poisoning. This is because when apricot seeds or amygdalin are digested, they can react with digestive enzymes to generate a form of cyanide. As this US government factsheet notes, sources of cyanide occur naturally in many foods. The body ca n even detoxify small amounts of cyanide by itself. However, it is known that excess...