Almonds are divided into sweet almonds and bitter almonds. China's southern production of almonds belong to the sweet almonds (also known as southern almonds), the flavor is slightly sweet, delicate, more for food, can also be used as raw materials to join the cake, cookies and dishes, with moistening the lungs, cough, slippery bowel, etc., on the dry cough with no phlegm, lung deficiency and chronic coughing, etc. have a certain relief; north of the production of almonds belong to the bitter almonds (also known as the northern almonds), with a bitter taste, more for medicinal purposes, with the moistening the lungs, the efficacy of asthma for the Due to cold and flu caused by phlegm, cough, asthma and other symptoms of the efficacy of significant; but the bitter almonds should not be taken too much at a time, each time to no more than 9 grams is appropriate.

The Chinese herbal medicine textbook "Compendium of Materia Medica" lists three major effects of almonds: moistening the lungs, clearing food accumulation and dispersing stagnation. Clearing stagnant food means that almonds can help digestion and relieve constipation; Modern Practical Chinese Medicine records that "almonds have a light diarrhea effect when taken internally, and have a tonic effect." For the elderly and weak chronic constipation, taking almonds is more effective.

Pharmacological effects

1, cough, asthma

Bitter almonds contain amygdalin, amygdalin in the body can be intestinal microbial enzymes or bitter almond itself contains amygdalin hydrolysis, resulting in trace hydrocyanic acid and benzaldehyde, respiratory center has an inhibitory effect, to achieve the effect of suppressing cough, asthma.

2, the role of the digestive system

Almond flavor bitter gas, and rich in fatty oil. Fatty oil can improve the lubrication of intestinal contents on the mucosa, so almonds have laxative function.

3, anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect

Bitter almond glycoside decomposition of benzaldehyde static benzoin condensing enzyme to generate benzoin. Benzoin has analgesic effect, therefore, some people use bitter almonds to treat advanced liver cancer, which can relieve the pain of patients, and some of them even do not need to take painkillers.

4. Anti-tumor effect

The research on the anti-tumor mechanism of almond has the following aspects.

① A part of scholars believe that cancer cells contain a large number of β-glucosidase, which can hydrolyze bitter amygdalin to produce hydrocyanic acid (HCN), benzaldehyde and glucose. Since cancer cells lack thionitrile generating enzyme, which has a detoxifying effect on HCN and turns HCN into non-toxic thionitrile compounds, while normal cells lack β-glucosidase and contain a large amount of thionitrile generating enzyme. According to this theory, bitter amygdalin should be able to selectively kill cancer cells, while almost harmless to normal cells.

② Bitter amygdalin can help trypsin digest the transparent mucin membrane of cancer cells, making it easier for white blood cells to approach cancer cells and phagocytose them.

③ It has been found that bitter amygdalin similar to NaSCN and NaOCN can affect the thymine nucleoside into the DNA of hepatoma cells and the uptake of phosphate and amino acids by tumor cells.

5. Hypoglycemic effect

Bitter amygdalin has the effect of preventing and controlling diabetes mellitus caused by the antitumor drug alloxan. The method of alloxan-induced hyperglycemia in mice was proved by intraperitoneal injection of 3g/kg of bitter amygdalin in advance, and blood glucose was measured after 48h, which showed that bitter amygdalin could specifically inhibit the blood glucose increase caused by alloxan, and the intensity of the effect was related to the concentration of bitter amygdalin in the blood.

6, lipid-lowering effect

Clinical reports, large almonds can significantly reduce the level of blood lipids in patients with hyperlipidemia, Spiller (1990) that the monounsaturated fatty acids in almonds can help to reduce the patient's mildly elevated blood lipids, and do not need to be strictly restricted diet.

7, the role of beauty

Based on the theory of lungs and fur, in the clinical treatment of certain skin diseases can be from the lung method of treatment, with the consumption of almonds, often get a shortcut. Modern research has proved that the fat oil contained in bitter almonds can soften the skin stratum corneum, moisturize the skin, protect the nerve endings blood vessels and tissues and organs, and can inhibit and kill bacteria. In addition, the HCN generated by enzymatic hydrolysis can inhibit the body's active tyrosinase, eliminating hyperpigmentation, freckles, dark spots, etc., thus achieving the effect of beauty.

8, other effects

Bitter amygdalin has an anti-mutagenic effect, can reduce the number of micronuclei polyinfected erythrocytes caused by anandamide, methotrexate, mitomycin C, and so on.

Bitter almond oil also has anthelmintic, bactericidal effect, in vitro tests on human roundworms, earthworms have killed, and typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever bacillus has antibacterial effect. Almonds also have anti-pinworm and trichomonas infections, treatment of aplastic anemia.