Part1. What is bitter almond essence?
Bitter almond extract is a light yellow powder product extracted from the dried and mature seeds of the Rosaceae plant Prunusarmeniaca L., containing chemical components such as amygdalin, linoleic acid, linalool, estrone, etc. Bitter almond, also known as apricot , bitter almonds, apricot kernels, apricot kernels, almonds, northern almonds. The dry species is eccentrically flat, apex acuminate, left and right asymmetrical. The seed coat is reddish brown or dark brown, with brown stripes scattered from the base to the top, with fine longitudinal wrinkles on the surface; there is an inconspicuous micropyle at the tip, and a light-colored ridge-like hilum on the lateral ridge below it, with the chalazal point at The concave part at the bottom, from the chalaza to the hilum, has a darker longitudinal line, that is, the seed ridge, the seed coat is thin, and there are two milky white and plump cotyledons, which are rich in oil, and there are often gaps in the middle of the joint surface. The radicle is located at its tip, and is born on fixed sand dunes in miscellaneous forests on sunny slopes at an altitude of 250-400 meters, mainly distributed in China. Almonds can be divided into sweet and bitter. The almonds produced by cultivated apricots are more sweet, and the wild ones are generally bitter.
Part2. The efficacy of almonds
From the perspective of the original plant, bitter almonds are processed from Siberian apricots, Liao apricots and wild wild apricots. They are mainly produced in Northeast my country. They are often called northern almonds, or northern apricots for short; , In order to distinguish it from bitter almonds, it is also called Nanxing. Bitter almond is bitter in nature, good at lowering qi, and has reliable effects on relieving asthma and relieving cough. Sweet almonds tend to nourish and nourish the lung qi, and their effect is milder. Its function of moistening the intestines and laxative is better than that of bitter almonds. It is suitable for chronic cough due to lung deficiency or constipation caused by body fluid injury. Bitter almonds are bitter in taste, warm in nature, slightly poisonous, enter the lung and large intestine meridian, and have the functions of relieving cough, relieving asthma, moistening intestines, and laxative. Sweet almonds are sweet in taste, flat in nature, non-toxic, and can moisten the lungs and widen the stomach, eliminate phlegm and relieve cough.
Part3.Pharmacological effect
1. The effect on the respiratory system
Bitter almond extract has the effect of relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, relieving spasm of bronchial smooth muscle, relieving cough, relieving asthma and eliminating phlegm. The main mechanism is that amygdalin decomposes slowly in the body to produce traces of hydrocyanic acid, which has a sedative effect on the respiratory center, making breathing movements quiet and achieving antitussive and antiasthmatic effects; it may also be due to the inhibition of low concentrations of hydrocyanic acid. The oxidative metabolism of the carotid body and aortic body causes reflex breathing to deepen, making it easy to expel sputum.
2. Analgesic effect
Amygdalin has analgesic effect and has no tolerance; after giving amygdalin to mice, there is no vertical tail reaction and allylmorphine-induced jumping reaction; there is no anti-inflammatory activity for inflammation induced by xylene and croton oil.
3. Effects on immune function
Intramuscular injection of amygdalin can promote the proliferation of mouse spleen cells, and can promote the proliferation of mitogens to mouse spleen T lymphocytes. Laetrile can enhance the activity of mouse spleen NK cells in mice.
4. Anti-tumor effect
The crude extract of hot water extract of bitter almond has inhibitory effect on human cervical cancer cell culture line JIC-26. Intake of bitter almonds (free intake) to mice can inhibit the growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and prolong the survival period. Oral or intraperitoneal injection of bitter almond extract to mice can inhibit S180 and liver cancer solid tumors by more than 60%. Laetrile can also significantly prolong the survival time of rats inoculated with W256 sarcoma.
5. Effects on the digestive system
The hydrolyzate of amygdalin, benzaldehyde, can inhibit the digestive function of pepsin in vitro as well as in healthy or ulcer patients, so it has anti-ulcer effect. Almond fat oil acts as a lubricating laxative in the intestines.
6. Deworming and antibacterial effects
Bitter almond oil can kill roundworms, earthworms, pinworms, hookworms, etc. in vitro, and can inhibit typhoid and paratyphoid bacteria. Clinical application also shows that it has effects on roundworms, pinworms and hookworms.
7. Other functions
Intravenous injection of almond decoction to cats can produce a significant and lasting antihypertensive effect. This product can still dilate coronary arteries and increase coronary blood flow.
