Glycosides cyanogenetic

C20H27NO11, (3) is the most important of the cyanogenetic glycosides that yield hydrogen cyanide on hydrolysis. It is found in all seeds of the rose family... 

The cyanogenetic glycoside amygdalin (26) has long been of interest to... 

Plants such as Wild Cherry bark and Bitter almonds owe their medicinal use to the formation of HCN and benzaldehyde as a result of enzyme action on the cyanogenetic glycosides. 

Poisoning, particularly in children, from the consumption of the kernels of various fruits is not an uncommon occurrence (39). The seeds of such fruits as the apricot, peach, cherry, plum, and almonds are known to contain cyanogenetic glycosides in which the aglycone is D-mandelo-nitrile (40) as exemplified by amygdalin whose structure is shown in Figure 8. Amygdalin itself is harmless as such, but when the seed is crushed and the pulp moistened, enzymatic hydrolysis rapidly ensues with the concomitant release of HCN. 

Definition Powder ground from the seed of the apricot fruit, Prunus armeniaca Toxicology The seed kernel contains cyanogenetic glycosides ing. may cause delayed systemic effects ind. abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, and coma ing. of apricot pits can be fatal Uses Abrasive in cosmetics Features Natural... 

Table 2.1 Some important naturally occurring cyanogenetic glycosides...

Examples of other cyanogenetic glycosides and their sources are shown in Table 2.1. 

Cyanide is present in green plants in the well-known cyanogenetic glycosides. Fungi also may produce cyanide indeed, Robbins et al. (1950) cultivated a basidiomycete that gave off so much HCN that mass cultures had to be kept in a chemical hood. Evidently cyanide is more widely distributed in nature than is B12. 

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