By Jimmy Downs

Saturday March 30, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in Molecular Medicine Reports suggests that amygdalin, a compound found in many types of seeds like apple seeds and apricot kernels may help patients with fibrotic kidney disease or help prevent the disease.

Amygdalin and similar compounds like laetrile  or vitamin b17 in general have been used by some alternative physicians to treat a variety of cancers although the medical circle has been denying that this compound is effective in treating any cancer.  Amygdalin is said to be banned in the United States.  

J. Wu from Fuzhou General Hospital and colleagues from Dong Fang Hospital of Xiamen University and Fujian Key Laboratory of Transplant Biology in Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China tested amygdalin in rats and found 

"amygdalin inhibited their proliferation and the production of transforming growth factor (TGF)?β1. In the rat model of obstructive nephropathy, following ureteral obstruction, the administration of amygdalin immediately eliminated the extracellular matrix accumulation and alleviated the renal injury on the 21st day. Collectively, amygdalin attenuated kidney fibroblast (KFB) activation and rat renal interstitial fibrosis."

The researchers concluded "Treatment of the cultured renal interstitial fibroblasts with These results indicate that amygdalin is a potent antifibrotic agent that may have therapeutic potential for patients with fibrotic kidney diseases."

For more information on amygdalin or vitamin b17, read vitaminb17.org