This section is from the book "A Text-Book Of Pharmacology, Therapeutics And Materia Medica", by T. Lauder Brunton. Also available from Amazon: A text-book of pharmacology, therapeutics and materia medica.
The ripe seed of the bitter almond tree, Prunus Amygdalus (Amygdalus communis), var. amara. Mogadore.
Characters. - Resembles the sweet almond in appearance, but is rather broader and shorter; has a bitter taste, and when rubbed with a little water, emits the odour of hydrocyanic acid.
Composition. - Bitter almonds contain all the constituents of sweet almonds, the fixed oil, however, being in less proportion, and in addition a glucoside amygdalin upon which emulsin (either of sweet or bitter almonds) acts as a ferment producing hydrocyanic acid and volatile oil of bitter almonds, thus :-
Preparations. | |
B.P. | Dose. |
Oleum Amygdalae............................ | 1 fl. dr.-1/2 fl. oz. |
U.S.P. | |
Syrupus Amygdalae.................... | 2 fl. dr.-2 fl. oz. (7 60 c.c.) |
 
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