title: [Alternative means of drug therapy in cancer: letril].
abstract: Letril (amygdaline) is one of drugs of alternative therapy for cancer that is used over three decades and relates to cyanogenic glycosides received from kernels of various fruits (almonds, apricots, peaches, etc. The basis of suggestion of letril as antitumor agent is hypotheses about selective fermentative splitting of amygdaline in tumor cells with developing of cyanide that should cause to apoptosis as a result of aerobic glycolysis suppression. None of these assumptions found their experimental confirmation. In clinical trials there was established inefficiency of letril with a very high probability to develop severe cyanide intoxication. Despite obtained scientific data and absence of permission from the supervising institutions (FDA) letril is still advertised, produced and distributed as anti-tumor drug.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Korman
mesh_terms: D000678:Amygdalin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003486:Cyanides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009570:Nitriles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003486:Cyanides; D009570:Nitriles; D000678:Amygdalin