Interest in apricot kernels was generated as a result of claims in the late 1970s that laetrile, a semi-synthetic derivative of the naturally occurring constituent amygdalin, was a natural, non-toxic cure for cancer. Apricot kernels were seen as an alternative source for this miracle cure. These claims have since been disproved and it has been established that laetrile (amygdalin) is toxic, particularly if administered orally. Laetrile and apricot kernel ingestion are the most common sources of cyanide poisoning, with more than 20 deaths reported. Apricot kernels are toxic because of their amygdalin content. Amygdalin was made a prescription-only medicine in the UK in 1984.
