Laetrile Facts

By Virginia Hauf

A doctor from the United States FDA once said that Laetrile contains ‘free’ hydrogen cyanide [HCN] and, thus, is toxic. I would like to correct that misconception. There is no ‘free’ hydrogen cyanide [HCN] in Laetrile. When Laetrile comes in contact with the enzyme beta-glycosidase [the cancer cell], the Laetrile is broken down into four molecules:

(a) Two molecules of glucose

(b) One molecule of benzaldehyde

(c) One molecule of hydrogen cyanide [HCN]

Within the body, the cancer cell and only the cancer cell contains that enzyme, beta-glycosidase, therefore, if no cancer is in the body, no hydrogen cyanide can be released.

The key word here is that the HCN must be FORMED. It is not found floating around freely in the Laetrile and then released. It must be manufactured. The enzyme beta-glycosidase, and only that enzyme, is capable of manufacturing the HCN from Laetrile. If there is no beta-glycosidase, no HCN can be formed from the Laetrile.

“Laetrile does contain the cyanide radical [CN]. This same cyanide radical is contained in Vitamin B-12 and in berries such as blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. You never hear of anyone getting cyanide poisoning from B-12 or any of the above-mentioned berries, because they do not. The cyanide radical [CN] and hydrogen cyanide [HCN] are two completely different compounds, just as pure sodium [Na+]--one of the most toxic substances known to mankind--and sodium chloride [NaCl], table salt, are two completely different compounds.”

When the medical community first explored the possibility of using Laetrile as a cancer drug in the 1920s, they discovered that amygdaline secreted cyanide. They just didn’t understand what triggered it, and they were clueless why it was important. Cyanide was, after all, a poison that killed people. That was enough.

Hydrogen cyanide [HCN] is a chemical that kills cancer cells and leaves healthy cells intact. While the NCI found HCN in the patients in the NCCTG study, the FDA, a couple of years later found no evidence that Laetrile contained cyanide. Of course, the FDA tested the Laetrile extract. Cyanide, Dr. Binzel discovered, does not appear until Laetrile comes into contact with a cancer cell. At that point, cyanide is present.

The reason the FDA flip-flops so much on whether or not Laetrile is a toxic element is that when they alleged that Laetrile was toxic in the first Jason Vale hearing, Vale’s lawyers challenged their claim and asked them to present evidence to that fact. The FDA admitted they had none. Nevertheless, they still insist that a minimum lethal dose of HCN is 100 mg per 150 lbs. In 1984 the FDA determined that an apricot seed contains 2.92 mg/g of HCN and a peach pit contains 2.50 mg/g. This is interesting since a later FDA test revealed that Laetrile, the serum form of amygdaline contains no HCN at all, and thus, is worthless as an anticancer agent.

It is clear that the Laetrile debate will continue for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, the pharmaceutical industry continues to test anticancer medicines derived from artificial amygdaline, claiming that it is much safer, and much more stable, than organic amygdaline. It’s a safe bet, however, that before the pharmaceutical industry introduces an effective cancer-fighting amygdaline drug which will cost the consumer much, much more than a bag of apricot seeds, serum and tablet forms of Vitamin B-17 will be regulated by the FDA and Laetrile will be classified as a prescription drug.

The FDA banned vitamin B17 years ago
although it is banned, it is not illegal

You Ask: What's the Difference

What it means is that ~ If any hospital uses laetrile the law says that they jeopardize any grants from the government as well as any monies from Medicaid and other hospital insurance originating from the government. Since nearly all of hospital revenues come from patient insurance, not one hospital in the U.S. will take the chance and use any banned substance including, Amygdaline (also called vitamin B17 and Laetrile.)

Any Doctor, in the United States, that wants to use the substance from apricot pits, must have their patient fill out a form and then the doctor must submit the form to the FDA... Again, doctors don't want to get involved in this and would rather keep their names off of the FDA lists. Additionally, the doctor's malpractice insurance will not be valid if they prescribe laetrile (B17, amygdalin) to a patient. The American Medical Association (AMA) treats any Doctor that prescribes laetrile to be a renegade (traitorous) and that he has violated the AMA's membership policies and will be subject to membership termination. Therefore any Doctor that prescribes laetrile may destroy his career as a Doctor.

Any individual that sells laetrile must not claim that it does anything in his place of business. Many health food stores in the past were raided and had to give up their supplies of B17 because the B17 was near books that claimed that the B17 was the answer to cancer...In other words the books were near the B17 in the stores and was therefore considered "labeling" which is a term used by the FDA. Labeling according to the FDA is against the law and can be prosecuted.

However on the Internet, it is different. Internet law is tricky and not the same as U.S. commercial law. In one case, Ken Kholas took the FDA to court and won his B17 back. That court case proved it wasn't wrong for him to have or to sell it thought it cost Ken's father a tremendous amount of money.

What THIS MEANS TO YOU is that you can purchase, use and have B17 and you will not have violated any law.

ADMINISTRATION OF AMYGDALIN

Slow drip infusion. The most efficacious mode of administration is through the slow-drip infusion technique which was developed in Tijuana, Mexico. It became apparent that the breakdown of amygdalin and its subsequent detoxification was very rapid. If it were to be administered over a longer period of time, this could be overcome. In addition, the amygdalin must pass through many biological membranes in order to reach it site of action. This can be accomplished by combining the amygdalin with Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO-laboratory grade) or artemether. Finally, as vitamin C is known to slow the growth of tumors, it is added to allow the amygdalin and the rest of the metabolic therapy more time to work.

The amygdalin should be added just prior to injection to insure maximum potency. This complete infusion is administered intravenously over a 2 to 3 hour period, or intamuscular.

More rapid administration can result in a localized burning sensation due to the large amounts of vitamin C. This infusion is administered daily over the first 21 days of metabolic therapy.

Intravenous Injection: In some instance where the slow drip infusion is not practical, intravenous administration of amygdalin can be used. This method provides the same high concentration in the blood as the slow drip infusion. Three vials (3 grams each) are administered daily in a slow intravenous push, usually in the brachial vein just proximate to the elbow. Preferably this administration should be between meals. The intravenous administration should be daily for 21 days.

For treatment: The tablet side is 500 milligrams (mg). Two of these tablets should be given 3 times a day. If patients have difficulty swallowing, the tablets may be broken up and added to the soft food. The patient should take 1 tablet six times a day.

As a preventive: The tablet size is 100mg. One or two tablets should be taken daily.

This data is provided for informational purposes only by Jenny Hauf.