• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2007

Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside which is commonly found in almonds, bamboo shoots, and apri-cot kernels, and peach kernels. Amygdalin was first hydrolysed into prunasin, then degraded into cyanohydrin by sequential two-stage mechanism. The objective of this study was to examine the amygdalin decomposition and cyanide formation at various in vitro conditions, including acid, enzyme and anaerobic microbes (AM) in human feces (HF). In acid hydrolysis mimicking gastric environment, amygdalin was degraded to cyanide up to 0.2% in specific pH. In contrast, enzyme assay showed higher cyanide generation either by ${\beta}$-glucosidase, or by incubation with microbe. In conclusion, we are convinced of cyanide generation are occurred mainly by microbiological activities of the gut flora up to 41.53%. After ingestion with some staff, the degree and site of degradation in an organism is a key parst of regulatory decision making of that staff.