title: Mandelonitrile beta-glucuronide: synthesis and characterization.
abstract: Mandelonitrile beta-glucuronide, the compound patented as Laetrile, has been synthesized from rabbit liver uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyl transferase immobilized on beaded sepharose, has been analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and has been tested for cytotoxicity and mutagenic activity with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98 and TA 100. Several commercial laetrile preparations contained no glucuronide; they contained amygdalin and neoamygdalin instead. Mandelonitrile, mandelonitrile glucuronide, and a mixture of amygdalin and neoamygdalin were each found to be mutagenic.
mesh_terms: D000678:Amygdalin / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009154:Mutation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium
chemical_list: D009570:Nitriles; D000678:Amygdalin