• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2016

Amygdalin, D-mandelonitrile-${\beta}$-D-glucoside-6-${\beta}$-glucoside, belongs to aromatic cyanogenic glycoside group derived from rosaceous plant seed. Mounting evidence has supported the anti-cancer effects of amygdalin. However, whether amygdalin indeed acts as an anti-tumor agent against breast cancer cells is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of amygdalin on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells. Here, we show that amygdalin exerted cytotoxic activities on estrogen receptors (ER)-positive MCF7 cells, and MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Amygdalin induced apoptosis of Hs578T TNBC cells. Amygdalin downregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), upregulated Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), activated of caspase-3 and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Amygdalin activated a pro-apoptotic signaling molecule p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK) in Hs578T cells. Treatment of amygdalin significantly inhibited the adhesion of Hs578T cells, in which integrin ${\alpha}5$ may be involved. Taken together, this study demonstrates that amygdalin induces apoptosis and inhibits adhesion of breast cancer cells. The results suggest a potential application of amygdalin as a chemopreventive agent to prevent or alleviate progression of breast cancer, especially TNBC.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.308-313
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• 2006

Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside compound which is commonly found in the pits of many fruits and raw nuts. Although amygdalin itself is not toxic, it can release cyanide (CN) after hydrolysis when the pits and nuts are crushed, moistened and incubated, possibly within the gastrointestinal tract. CN reversibly inhibits cellular oxidizing enzymes and cyanide poisoning generates a range of clinical symptoms. As some pits and nuts may contain unusually high levels of amygdalin such that there is a sufficient amount to induce critical CN poisoning in humans, the detection of abnormal content of amygdalin in those pits and nuts can be a life-saving measure. Although there are various methods to detect amygdalin in food extracts, an enzyme immunoassay has not been developed for this purpose. In this study we immunized New Zealand White rabbits with an amygdalin-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) conjugate and succeeded in raising anti-sera reactive to amygdalin, proving that amygdalin can behave as a hapten in rabbits. Using this polyclonal antibody, we developed a competition enzyme immunoassay for determination of amygdalin concentration in aqueous solutions. This technique was able to effectively detect abnormally high amygdalin content in various seeds and nuts. In conclusion, we proved that enzyme immunoassay can be used to determine the amount of amygdalin in food extracts, which will allow automated analysis with high throughput.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.104-113
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• 2007

Background : Amygdalin is abundant in Armeniacae semen, and it is recently reported to treat cancers and relieve pain. But modus operandi of amygdalin at the level of neuron has not been reported, yet. Objective : This study aimed to find out the effect of amygdalin on glycine- and glutamate-induced ion currents in periaqueductal gray (PAG) neurons. And it was investigated that amygdalin participates in the regulation of the descending pain control system in the level of PAG neurons. Method : We investigated that the changes of glycine- and glutamate-induced ion currents in PAG neurons through application of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and application of amygdalin with LPS by using the nystatin-perforated patch clamp method. Result : Application of LPS on PAG neurons resulted in increased glycine-induced ion current, and in decreased glutamate-induced ion current. In contrast, application of amygdalin with LPS resulted in decreased glycine-induced ion current increased by LPS, and increased glutamate-induced ion current decreased by LPS. Conclusion : Amygdalin from Armeniacae semen controls glycine- and glutamate-induced ion current by LPS in PAG neurons, and it is suggested that amygdalin participates in the regulation of the descending pain control system in the level of PAG neurons.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.453-456
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• 2002

Tonin(Persicae Semen) is the herb medicine that contains amygdalin as a major ingredient. Amygdalin in water is decomposed into benzaldehyde, HCN, and glucose by emulsin, a hydrolysis enzyme in tonin. A useful and practical method for the optimum extraction condition of amygdalin without enzymatic hydrolysis is required. The extraction yield of amygdalin of natural formula to nin was 0.1 % from crude powders, 1.4% from small pieces, 3.5% from half pieces and 2.4% from whole pieces. The extraction yield of amygdalin of outer shell-eliminated to nin was 0.3% from crude powders, 1.4% from small pieces, and 3.5% from half pieces and whole pieces respectively. The extraction yield of amygdalin was most high when using the size larger than half.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.4 no.3_4
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• pp.7-14
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• 1989

Amygdalin has been used for a long time as an anticancer agent. But because of its toxicity, it is difficult to administer continuously for treatment of cancer. This paper was attempted to reduce the side effect and toxicity of amygdalin. That is, effects of cysteine and streptomycin on the toxicity of amygdalin were investigated in rats orally administered amygdalin. 1. The group administered only amygdalin 400 mg/kg was effected on the lung and body weight, hematocrit, hemoglobin, clotting time, SGOT and albumin value. That is, lung and body weight, hematocrit hemoglobin and albumin value were significantly decreased. SGOT and clotting time were significantly increased compared with those of normal group. 2. Weight of lung was significantly increased in the C group (administred amygdalin 400 mg/kg and cysteine 300 mg/kg), D group (amygdalin 400 mg/kg and streptomycin 10 mg/kg), E group (amygdalin 400 mg/kg, streptomycin 10 mg/kg and cysteine 200 mg/kg)and F group (amygdalin 400 mg/kg, streptomycin 10 mg/kg and cysteine 300 mg/kg). 3. Values of hematocrit and hemoglobin were significantly increased, and clotting time was significantly decreased, in the I group and F group compared with those of A group. 4. SGOT was significantly decreased in the C group, E group and F group compared with that of A group. 5. The blood cyanide concentration was significantly decreased in the E group and F group compared with that fo A group. 6. In short, coadministration of cysteine and streptomycin are considered to reduce the toxicity of amygdalin in rats orally administered.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.108-121
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• 2005

Backgrounds: Amygdalin (D-mandelonitrile B-gentiobioside), a cynogenic compound, is found in sweet and bitter almond, Persicae semen, and Armeniacae semen. Aqueous extract of amygdalin was made from Armeniacae semen and used in this study. Objectives: Apoptosis is a very important mechanism in cancer treatment. In the present study, it was investigated whether amygdalin induces apoptotic cell death in human COLO 201 colon cancer cells. Materials and Methods: For this study, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 4,6diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, flow cytometric analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(PR-PCR), western blot analysis, and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed on COLO 201 cells. Cells treated with amygdalin exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. Results: Amygdalin treatment enhanced Bax expression and suppressed Bcl-2 expression in COLO 201 cells. Amygdalin also was shown to increase the caspase-3 activity. Conclusions: Amygdalin induces apoptotic cell death via Bax-dependent caspase-3 activation in COLO 201 cells.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.130-142
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• 2005

Objectives: Amygdalin is known to be a natural compound which has antitussive and anticancer activities. Amygdalin is abundant in the seeds of bitter almond and apricots of the Prunus genus, and other rosaceous plants. We investigated whether amygdalin induces apoptosis. Materials and Methods : 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)assay, terminal deoxynuclotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAFI) staining, flow cytometric analysis, DNA fragmentation assay, western blot, and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed on ME-180 cervical cancer cells treated with amygdalin. Results: Through morphological and biochemical analyses, it was demonstrated that ME-180 cells treated with amygdalin exhibit several apoptotic features. It was shown that amygdalin induces increases in levels of Bax and caspase-3 and a decrease in Bcl-2 expression. Conclusions: These results suggest the possibility that amygdalin exerts an anti-tumor effect on human cervical cancer.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1096-1101
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• 2006

Armeniacae Semen not only contains amygdalin, but emulsin also, which is an enzyme that hydrolyzes amygdalin. The extraction yield of amygdalin from Armeniacae Semen was low, due to the presence of emulsin, when extracted with water. When Schizandrae Fructus solution was used as the extractant; however, amygdalin was almost completely extracted, regardless of the cutting size, due to the absence of the influence of emulsin. In addition, when the crude powder or small piece forms were used with Schizandrae Fructus solution, on epimerization of the D-amygdalin into neoamygdalin occurred. D-amygdalin and its conversion product, neoamygdalin, were quantitatively analyzed by reverse-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with an optimized eluent of 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 2.3), containing 11.5% acetonitrile. The concentration and detector response were linearly correlated over the range 0.05 to 2 mM. The detection limits for both D-amygdalin and neoamygdalin were approximately $5\;{\mu}M$ for the amount injected.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.388.3-389
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• 2002

Kyonin(Armeniacae Semen)is the herb medicine that contains amygdalin as a major ingredient. Amygdalin in water is decomposed into benzaldehyde. HCN. and glucose by emulsin. a hydrolysis enzyme in kyonin. A useful and practical method for the optimum extraction condition of amygdalin without enzymatic hydrolysis is required. The extraction yield of amygdalin of natural formula kyonin was 0.5% from crude powers. 0.7% from small pieces. 1.2% from half pieces and 2.7% from whole pieces. (omitted)