Cyanide concentrations in blood after amygdalin (laetrile) administration in rats.

Toxic amounts of cyanide are released into the blood of rats following the oral administration of amygdalin (laetrile); cyanide blood concentrations and toxicity are markedly less when amygdalin is given intravenously. Analysis of the time course of cyanogenesis suggests that cyanide could accumulate in blood after repeated oral doses of amygdalin.