Session: Undergraduate Research Posters: Analytical Chemistry:

Amygdalin is a crystalline compound frequently found in the pits of stone fruits such as apricots, peaches, and plums. In the past, amygdalin was often referred to as ‘Vitamin B17’ because it was believed to help improve cerebral functions, act as an anti-inflammatory, and would even act as a cancer therapy agent to shrink the size of tumors. Amygdalin was produced commercially as a less intensive cancer treatment, but more recently it has been proven ineffective. Amygdalin is a naturally occurring cyanogenic glycoside. When amygdalin breaks down in the body, hydrogen cyanide is produced in the large intestine. Hydrogen cyanide is poisonous and fatal at levels exceeding 1-3 mg/kg of body weight. Many people in search of alternative, homeopathic medicine continue to turn to the pits of these fruits. This research is focused on quantifying the amount of amygdalin present in the pits of several fruits to determine which pits pose the greatest risk of cyanide poisoning. Another goal is to investigate the possibility of determining whether a poisoning is accidental through accidental ingestion of too much amygdalin or intentional poisoning using commercially available cyanogenic products. This presentation reviews the results of amygdalin extraction and identification using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The concentration of amygdalin in each fruit was compared and mathematical scaling was performed to determine the toxicity within one serving of the fruit.

Gregory Foy

York College of Pennsylvania

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