Deliberate self-poisoning with Laetrile

A case report indicates that the ingestion of Laetrile can produce potentially lethal levels of cyanide in the blood, but in this case, unlike previously reported poisonings with Laetrile, the patient survived after aggressive therapy for cyanide poisoning. Laboratory studies at the time of her admission revealed severe metabolic acidosis and hypoxemia; the serum cyanide level was 143 μmol/ (385 μg/dl). Twenty-four hours later the serum cyanide level was 13 μmol/l (35 μg/dl) and the serum thiocyanate level was 0.22 mmol/l (1.3 mg/dl). After correction of her metabolic abnormalities she had an uncomplicated medical course and was transferred to the psychiatric service for continued management. Analysis of one of the patient's remaining vials of Laetrile failed to demonstrate free cyanide in the preparation (M. Holzbecher, M. Moss, M.A. Ellenberger: unpublished observations, 1980).