Laxative effect of bitter almond (Amygdalus communis var. amara)

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

• Hamid Reza Kazrani ¹
• Seddigheh Jalali ²

¹ Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

² Payame Noor University of Tehran

10.22067/veterinary.v6i1.19398

Abstract

Thepossible laxative and prokinetic effects of bitter almond were studied: 1- two groups of 7 rats were gavaged with ethanol extract of bitter almond (500mg/kg) or placebo and the number of feces, fecal weight and its percentage of water were studied 18-24h thereafter. 2- Ethanol extract of bitter almond (125 or 250mg/ml), lactulose (as positive control) or placebo was randomly injected into jejuna segments in anesthetized rats (n=9). The volume of the fluid in each segment was measured after 1h. 3- Gastrointestinal (GI) transit time was studied in rats treated with the extract or placebo using phenol red. The rats were sacrificed at times 30min, 1, 2 and 4h. ethanol extract of bitter almond at 500mg/kg significantly increased fecal weight and water. It had no significant effects on the osmotic infiltration of fluid into the intestine or on the transit time of the contents in the GI tract. The current results suggest that bitter almond has a laxative effect that seems to be due to malabsorption of electrolytes and water via enterocytes.

Keywords

• bitter almond
• Amygdalus communis var. amara
• laxative
• prokinetic

20.1001.1.2008465.2014.6.1.5.9

Main Subjects

• Food hygiene

---

References

Abbaszadeh, M.,Kazerani, H.R. and Kamrani, A. (2010).Laxative effects of Rosa damascena Mill in dogs. Journal of Applied Animal Research 38, 89-92.

 

Arezoomandan, R., Kazerani, H.R. and Behnam-Rasooli, M. (2011).The laxative and prokinetic effects of Rosa damascena Mill in rats. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences14,161-169.

 

Bromley, J., Hughes, B.G., Leong, D.C. and Buckley, N.A. (2005). Life-threatening interaction between complementary medicines: Cyanide toxicity following ingestion of amygdalin and vitamin C. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 39,1566–1569.

 

Brunton, L., Parker, K., Blumenthal, D. and Buxton, L. (2008). Goodman and Gilman’s Manual of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division, New York.

Carter, J. H., McLafferty, M.A. and Goldman, P. (1980). Role of the gastrointestinal microflora in amygdalin (laetrile)-induced cyanide toxicity.Biochemical Pharmacology 29,301-304.

 

Cunningham, J.G. and Klein, B.G. (2007). Textbook of Veterinary Physiology. 4thedn., Saunders Elsevier,Missouri.

Gangarosa, L.M. and Seibert, D.G. (2003). Drugs used in gastrointestinal disorders.In C.R. Craig, andStitzelR. E., editors.Modern Pharmacology with Clinical Applications. 6thedn., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,Hagerstwon.

 

Greenberg, D.M. (1980).The case against laetrile: the fraudulent cancer remedy. Cancer 45,799-807.

 

Hall, A.H. and Rumack, B.H. (1986). Clinical Toxicology of Cyanide. Annals of Emergency Medicine 15,1067–1074.

 

Heikkila, R.E. and Cabbat, F.S. (1980). The prevention of alloxan-induced diabetes by amygdalin. Life Sciences 27, 659-662.

 

Humphreys, D.J. (1998).Veterinary toxicology. 3rdedn.,BaillierTindall. London.

 

Hwang, H.J., Kim, P., Kim, C.J., Lee, H.J., Shim, I., Yin, C.S., Yang, Y. and Hahm, D.H. (2008). Antinociceptive effect of amygdalin isolated from Prunusarmeniaca on formalin-induced pain in rats. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 31,1559-1564.

Jiagang, D., Li, C., Wang, H., Hao, E., Du, Z., Bao, C., Lv, J. and Wang, Y. (2011). Amygdalin mediates relieved atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E deficient mice through the induction of regulatory T cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 411,523-529.

 

Katzung, B.G., Trevor, A.J. and Masters, S.B. (2009). Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11thedn., McGraw-Hill Medical. New York.

Lin, W.C. and Lin, J.Y. (2011).Five bitter compounds display different anti-inflammatory effects through modulating cytokine secretion using mouse primary splenocytesin vitro. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 59,184-192.

 

Martindale, W. and Reynolds, J.E.F. (1989).Martindale the Extra Pharmacopoia.The Pharmaceutical Press. London.

 

Martinez, V., Wu, S.V. and Tache, Y. (1998). Intracisternal antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to the thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor blocked vagal-dependent stimulation of gastric emptying induced by acute cold in rats. Endocrinology 139,3730-3735.

 

Milazzo, S., Lejeune, S. and Ernst, E. (2007).Laetrile for cancer: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Supportive Care in Cancer 15,583-595.

 

Mir-Heidar, H. (1995).Ma’arefGiahi.Vol 1, 2nded,.DaftarNashrFarhangIslami. Tehran (Persian).

Newmark, J., Brady, R.O., Grimley, P.M., Gal, A.E., Waller, S.G., Thistlethwaite, J.R. (1981). Amygdalin (Laetrile) and prunasin beta-glucosidases: distribution in germ-free rat and in human tumor tissue. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 78, 6513–6516.

 

Rietjens, I.M., Martena, M.J., Boersma, M.G., Spiegelenberg, W. and Alink, G.M. (2005).Molecular mechanisms of toxicity of important foodborne phytotoxins. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 49,131-158.

 

Sanchez-Perez, R., Jørgensen, K., Olsen, C.E., Dicenta, F. and Møller, B.L. (2008). Bitterness in almonds. Plant Physiology 146,1040-1052.

 

Shim, S.M. and Kwon, H. (2010).Metabolites of amygdalin under simulated human digestive fluids. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 61,770-779.

 

Vickers, A. (2004). Alternative cancer cures: "unproven" or "disproven"? CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 54,110-118.

Zargari, A. (1992). Medicinal Plants, Vol 2. 5thedn., Tehran University Press. Tehran.