Overview

• Laetrile is a compound that contains a chemical called amygdalin. Amygdalin is found in the pits of many fruits, raw nuts, and plants (see Question 1).

• It is believed that the active anticancer ingredient in laetrile is cyanide (see Question 1).

• Laetrile is given by mouth as a pill or by intravenous injection (see Question 4).

• Laetrile has shown little anticancer effect in laboratory studies, animal studies, or human studies (see Question 5 and Question 6).

• The side effects of laetrile are like the symptoms of cyanide poisoning (see Question 7).

• Laetrile is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (see Question 8).