Word: amygdalin
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...Food and Drug Administration's ban on Laetrile as a restraint on individual freedom. Krebs argued that Laetrile kills only cancerous cells-not normal tissue-because they do not contain an enzyme that detoxifies the poison cyanide released from Laetrile's central ingredient, a chemical called amygdalin. Yet in repeated tests, Laetrile has shown no effect on tumors. Says Dr. Frank...
Rauscher, director of the National Cancer Institute: "I wish it worked, but, in fact, amygdalin is simply not active against cancer...
...those who know anything at all about organic chemistry, the adjective probably carries some more intricate humor. Amygdalin is a glucoside obtained from almond. On hydrolysis, it yields three appropriate fragments: i) glucose which is the sweetest, life-giving, naturally occurring sugar; 2) benzaldehyde which is the starting material for many artificial perfumes, and 3) hydrocyanic acid which is a sweet, almond-smelling gas but one of the deadliest poisons known...
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