However, for this product as a medicine, many Chinese medicine practitioners advocate removing the skin tip on the grounds of ensuring the safety of medication. Because this product has little toxicity, its toxicity is mostly at the tip of the skin. Based on the author's nearly forty years' experience in traditional Chinese medicine, I disagree with this theory and propose a discussion.
The chemical components of bitter almond are: fatty oil (moistening intestines), amygdalin (relieving cough, relieving asthma and dispersing lung), latex, emulsin and cherry glucosidase. Amygdalin is hydrolyzed to produce hydrocyanic acid (toxic component), benzaldehyde and glucose.
It can be seen from the chemical composition of this product that the toxin contained in this product (hydrocyanic acid decomposed from amygdalin) is an effective component to relieve asthma and spread the lung. The author made a comparison in clinic. Several patients with exogenous cough and scanty phlegm took susan at the same time. Some patients use almonds with skin tips, while others use smooth almonds with skin tips. The results showed that patients with skin-pointed almonds were cured after taking two doses, while patients with naked almonds had no obvious effect after taking two doses. After the follow-up, the same prescription and dosage, only naked almonds were replaced with almonds with skin tips, and the result was cured in one dose. It can be seen that it is not worth the loss to peel and tip almonds for medicine.
According to scientific determination, taking this product in large dose (above 50g) will cause poisoning. The author believes that doctors should strictly follow the standard prescription when using drugs. The dosage of adult almonds is 10- 15g.