Bitter almond is apricot in Rosaceae. Harvest ripe fruits in summer, remove pulp and stone, take out seeds and dry them in the sun. Alias: almond. Indications: lowering qi, relieving cough and asthma, moistening intestines and relaxing bowels. Used for cough and asthma, chest fullness and phlegm, blood deficiency and body fluid deficiency, intestinal dryness and constipation.

It is reported that 40-60 raw bitter almonds can be poisoned, and 50- 100 is fatal to adults. It is also reported in the literature that children were poisoned by taking 5 pills orally and died after taking more than 10 pills. Its poisoning is characterized by bitter taste, drooling, nausea, vomiting, bitter almond abdominal pain and diarrhea. Then I have headache, dizziness, palpitation, high blood pressure and general weakness. Severe poisoning includes sudden fainting, dyspnea, dilated pupils, clenched teeth, coma, blood pressure drop, and finally respiratory center paralysis and death. The mechanism of almond poisoning is mainly due to the hydrolysis of amygdalin by β -glucosidase in intestinal flora, which produces hydrocyanic acid and is absorbed. Cyanide ions can combine with ferric iron (Fe3+) of cytochrome oxidase, which hinders the transfer of electrons during oxidative respiration, making hemoglobin lose its oxygen-carrying ability, and finally tissues and cells suffocate due to lack of oxygen.

The toxicity of amygdalin is closely related to the route of administration. Amygdalin can cause dangerous cyanide poisoning when taken orally in large doses, but it will be excreted in cyanide-free urine when injected intravenously. The LD50 of mice was 25g/kg by intravenous injection and 0.887g/kg by gavage. The LD50 of rats was 25g/kg intravenously, 8g/kg intraperitoneally and 0.6g/kg intragastrically. The maximum acceptable dose (MTD) of intravenous injection or intramuscular injection in mice, rabbits and dogs is 3g/kg, and the maximum acceptable dose of intragastric administration is 0.075g/kg. After intravenous injection of 0.5g/kg amygdalin in mice, 65,438 0.000% of the animals survived, while 80% of the animals died of poisoning within 48 hours after gastric injection of the same dose. Oral amygdalin 4g/d for half a month or intravenous injection 1 month can cause toxic reactions. If the dose is reduced to 0.6- 1.2g/d, the toxic reaction can be avoided.

Almond tastes bitter and warm, dispersing lung qi, moistening intestines and relaxing bowels, and is only suitable for empirical diseases such as wind evil and intestinal dryness. Anyone with yin deficiency and excessive fire should not take a single drug orally for a long time. Such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, chronic enteritis, dry cough without phlegm and other diseases, it is forbidden to take a single drug for a long time.