Almond is a commonly used Chinese medicine. There are two kinds of almonds: bitter almond and sweet almond. Generally, bitter almonds are used as medicine. Chinese medicine uses bitter almond in combination with other Chinese medicines to treat cold, cough, asthma, chronic bronchitis of the elderly and constipation of pregnant women and the elderly. Sweet almond has the functions of moistening lung and relieving cough, treating fatigue cough and chest tightness. Bitter almonds should not be eaten more, otherwise it is easy to be poisoned. This is because bitter almond contains an amygdalin, which can be hydrolyzed into glucose, benzaldehyde and highly toxic hydrocyanic acid under the action of enzymes and acids. This highly toxic hydrocyanic acid is absorbed by the human body and combines with iron-containing respiratory enzymes in tissues and cells, so that cells cannot benefit from oxygen, and the human body will suffer from hypoxia, which is manifested as headache, dizziness, weakness and nausea, until abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and unconsciousness. Children who eat 0.0 1 g hydrocyanic acid by mistake will die. Wild bitter almond contains more amygdalin, so it is not suitable for eating. Nuts of other fruits, such as peach kernel, loquat kernel, Li Ziren and almond, also contain different amounts of amygdalin, so it is best not to eat them.
Bitter almonds are soaked in water to remove the seed coat, then soaked in water for a few days, and the water is often changed until the bitterness is removed before eating. Cooked or fried when eating, because heating can destroy the activity of lactoferrin and volatilize hydrocyanic acid, it is safe to process almonds into almond paste or almond tea.
Sweet almond has less toxic side effects, but it will still be poisoned if eaten too much, so it is not suitable for excessive consumption.
bitter almond
Features:
Bitter almond, also known as north apricot. Amygdalin is an effective component of bitter almond. People have been studying it for nearly 200 years. As early as 1803, schrader discovered this substance while studying the composition of bitter almond. Until 1830, robiquet and others isolated it, and it has become a commonly used expectorant and antitussive agent and auxiliary anticancer drug in medicine. Amygdalin is widely found in the seeds of many Rosaceae plants, such as apricot, peach, plum, apple, hawthorn, etc., especially in almonds, accounting for about 2% ~ 3%. The amygdalin molecule is composed of 1 benzaldehyde, 1 hydrocyanic acid and 2 glucose, and the molecular formula is c20h27no 1 1.
According to Compendium of Materia Medica, almond has three functions: moistening lung and strengthening spleen, resolving food stagnation and dispersing depressed qi. According to legend, after eating seven almonds a day, one year later, a person's body is light and healthy, full of wisdom, can nourish qi and prolong life, his white hair turns black, his complexion is pleasant and his bone marrow is firm.
Indications:
1, relieving cough and asthma (cough due to adverse qi, heat irritability). Amygdalin contained in almonds is decomposed by intestinal microbial enzymes in the lower digestive tract or emulsifying agent contained in almonds, and a small amount of hydrocyanic acid is produced, which can calm the respiratory center and achieve the effects of relieving cough and asthma.
2. Anti-tumor effect. Amygdalin has a good anti-tumor effect and can be used as an auxiliary drug to treat cancer. The application of amygdalin preparation in the treatment of advanced cancer patients can improve symptoms and prolong survival time. Amygdalin was used in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion, and it was found that amygdalin had a certain degree of control and relief effect on malignant pleural effusion. The inhibitory rate of amygdalin on cervical cancer jjc26 strain was 50% ~ 70%. It is said that its active ingredients can kill cancer cells exclusively when they enter the blood, without affecting healthy cells.
3, moistening the intestines and relaxing the bowels
4. Effect on digestive system
5, beauty: "Dietotherapy Materia Medica" shows that peeling almonds, mashing egg whites and rubbing them on the face can treat "black without cleansing" and "face sores" (that is, black spots). Compendium of Materia Medica holds that almonds can "remove all kinds of acne on the head and face". Sweet almonds can be used to moisturize skin, and bitter almonds can be used to "dispel wind". The whitening formula in Taiping Shenghui Prescription takes mica powder and almond powder as raw materials, which are finely ground and steamed with yellow milk to cure mildew spots and remove scars. Among them, mica powder is an important medicine for ancient health people to take and beautify. It can "strengthen muscles" and "make them happy" In addition, Dietotherapy Materia Medica holds that almonds are good at "killing insects and treating wind", that is, preventing caries and relieving pain, so almonds are used in many ancient tooth beauty prescriptions.
6. Other functions
A: Amygdalin can specifically inhibit the increase of blood sugar caused by urea, and its intensity is related to the concentration of amygdalin in blood.
B: Amygdalin also has anticoagulant effect.
C: Hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test in mice prove that amygdalin has analgesic effect and no tolerance.
D: intramuscular injection of amygdalin 15mg-1 and 35 mg-1 can obviously promote the proliferation of mouse spleen T lymphocytes.
E: amygdalin can obviously improve the activity of cytochrome oxidase under cerebral ischemia.
F: Amygdalin can increase the activity of type I collagenase secreted by human renal fibroblasts (kfb), inhibit the proliferation of kfb and the expression of type I collagen, and promote the apoptosis of kfb.
The results of elisa showed that amygdalin and Cordyceps sinensis could obviously promote the synthesis and secretion of albumin in rat liver fibrosis cells.
H: amygdalin can obviously promote its phagocytosis and activation of rdna.
7. Toxicity:
Bitter almonds contain a lot of anthocyanins, and eating too much by mistake will endanger life. The toxic dose of bitter almond is 40 ~ 60 for adults and 0/0 ~ 20 for children, with a lethal dose of about 60 grams.
Processing method of decoction:
Put the washed almonds in a pot, stir-fry them with low fire until they are slightly brown, and take them out to cool when they are fragrant. Mash at the same time.
Management method:
Eat about 7 tablets a day (raw), and adults should not exceed 10 tablets a day at most (chew three raisins first, then one bitter almond, and then three raisins to cover up their bitterness).
Excessive first aid:
Diffusion ability of Cui Tu (1) hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It can quickly correct the hypoxia of body tissues. (2) The onset of bitter almond poisoning is sudden, and the disease progresses rapidly and dangerously. Therefore, hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be carried out as soon as possible, and when the pressure increases, a mask should be worn to absorb pure oxygen. (3) The treatment of cyanide poisoning should be closely combined with clinical comprehensive treatment to get twice the result with half the effort.
Poisoning prevention:
Don't eat unprocessed nuts. Peel the nuts, remove the tips, soak them in hot water for one day, cook them without cover, and eat them after hydrocyanic acid volatilizes.