laetrile
nounEtymology A contraction of l-mandelonitrile, from Ancient Greek ἀμυγδάλη (amugdálē, “almond”) + -o- + nitrile.
1
A drug, derived from the amygdalin of apricot kernels, once thought capable of destroying cancer cells by the release of cyanide but later banned in the United States by the FDA.
- Synonyms
- vitamin B17
- Hypernyms
- amygdalin