Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi

Yazarlar: Mehtap ÇELİK, Metin YILDIRIM

Konular:Gıda Bilimi ve Teknolojisi

DOI:10.28948/ngumuh.297720

Anahtar Kelimeler:Amygdalin,Chemical properties,Degradation,Possible health effects

Özet:    Amygdalin is the most common cyanogenic glycoside in nature, and it is found in fruit kernels, such as apricot, almond, cherry, apple, plum, pear and peach. Amygdalin is also called D(-)-mandelonitrile-β-D-gentiobioside, D(-)-amygdalin, R-amygdalin, laetrile and vitamin B 17. Amygdalin can be degraded by enzymatic activity, heat treatment, mineral acids or high concentrations of ascorbic acid, and after its degradation, toxic hydrogen cyanide is formed. Amygdalin has been used to treat aplastic anaemia, asthma, hypertension, athero­sclerosis, diabetes, migraine, and most important of all, cancer. Although tumour-inhibiting effects of amygdalin have been observed from some in vitro studies, there is no substantial evidence showing that amygdalin induces discrete tumour regression in cancer patients, particularly in those with late-stage disease. Therefore, further investigation is necessary to clarify whether amygdalin has an anti-carcinogenic effect as soon as possible. This paper aims to provide current knowledge about amygdalin regarding its chemical properties, presence in foods, degradation, possible health effects, and analysis methods.

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