Laetrile /lā″ətril/ , a substance composed primarily of amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside derived from apricot pits. Laetrile has been offered as a cancer medication despite clinical studies by the National Cancer Institute that failed to show benefits from its use. It is claimed that amygdalin is hydrolyzed by enzymes in cancer cells to produce benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, which kill the cancer cells. It is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Also called vitamin B17.
