Bitter almond is one of the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicines in clinic, which was first recorded in Shennong Herbal Classic. It tastes bitter, slightly warm and slightly toxic, and has the effects of relieving cough and asthma, moistening intestines and relaxing bowels. Bitter almond contains amygdalin, fatty oil, lactalbumin, emulsin, cherry leaf enzyme, amino acids, vitamins and mineral elements. The content of amygdalin is about 3%.

1. Cough and asthma relieving

Amygdalin decomposes in the human body, producing a small amount of hydrocyanic acid, which can inhibit the respiratory center and make the respiratory movement tend to be gentle, thus playing a role in relieving cough and asthma.

2. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects

Hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test in mice confirmed that amygdalin has certain analgesic effect and will not produce drug resistance.

3. Antitumor effect

Amygdalin can target cancer cells when it enters the blood, but it has no side effects on healthy cells. Mineral elements in almonds may be related to anti-cancer effects. Thiocyanatase in vivo can convert hydrocyanic acid into nontoxic thiocyanate, but it does not exist in tumor cells, so it is inhibited. At present, many scholars have no unified view on the anti-tumor mechanism of amygdalin. Some people think that amygdalin blocks the division of tumor cells. Some people think that it regulates the signal path; Others think it downregulates the cell cycle.

-Excerpted from the research progress of pharmacological action and processing technology of bitter almond.