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International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences
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P-ISSN: 2394-7489, E-ISSN: 2394-7497
ICV 2019: 92.11

2017, Vol. 3 Issue 3, Part A

Laetrile: A wonder drug or farce?

AUTHOR(S): Dr. Aakriti Bhatnagar, Dr. Samta Mittal and Dr. Achint Garg
ABSTRACT:Cancer is one of the most feared diseases with exorbitant treatment costs which render the patients helpless, a condition in which alternative therapies come in the picture.
A number of companies come up with a wide variety of agents which claim to cure cancer with lesser side effects and at a lower cost. One such drug is ‘Laetrile’, also known as ‘Amygdalin’ and popularly marketed as ‘Vitamin B17’. The effectiveness of this drug, however, is crucially questionable.
The toxic effects of this drug have been found to be more severe in individuals consuming high amounts of Vitamin C. Toxicity of this drug is also associated with Vitamin B12 deficiency, which is a commonly found state in India. It is presently an easily available drug within India. Indian population is thus at great risk from consumption of this drug due to the possible adverse effects.
India is the country with a major part of population below the poverty line, which forces the individuals toward alternative therapies. The ambiguity of the nature of this drug has led to turmoil amongst the oncologists and the suffering patients, and strict laws till the time this drug has not been proved to be harmless and effective, along with more advanced research is the need of the hour.
Pages: 42-45  |  1703 Views  189 Downloads
How to cite this article:
Dr. Aakriti Bhatnagar, Dr. Samta Mittal, Dr. Achint Garg. Laetrile: A wonder drug or farce?. Int J Appl Dent Sci 2017;3(3):42-45.
International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences

International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences

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International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences