Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Prunus armeniaca L. belongs to Rosaceae. Kew records it as a shrub or tree. This notice concerns the bitter seed inside the stone; it does not classify apricot flesh as a toxic medicinal drug.
Also known as: No synonyms listed.
This notice concerns the bitter seed inside the stone; it does not classify apricot flesh as a toxic medicinal drug. A photograph alone cannot establish identification for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Documentary reference — bitter seed
ANSM lists Prunus armeniaca for the following material: bitter seed. Inclusion in List B signals that potential adverse effects outweigh the expected therapeutic benefit. The entry does not establish clinical efficacy.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.
Contraindications & precautions
- Safety precaution: do not use this material for self-medication or in a home preparation.
Medicine interactions
- Interactions specific to this species and each preparation are not established by this notice’s documentary sources. This does not establish compatibility with medicines.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- Nausea, faintness and dizziness; severe poisoning may involve seizures, breathing problems or loss of consciousness.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no home use is proposed; this notice does not establish evidence supporting use in these situations.
Children & adolescents
Do not give to children on the basis of this notice. A botanical inventory is not a paediatric safety evaluation.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Available evidence
EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE
The available evidence.
This toxicological dossier concerns Prunus armeniaca L.. Nausea, faintness and dizziness; severe poisoning may involve seizures, breathing problems or loss of consciousness. These risks support caution, not a therapeutic benefit.
Constituents to know.
Their presence and quantity depend on the plant part and preparation.
- Amygdaline
- This cyanogenic glycoside in bitter kernels can release cyanide during digestion.Read the reference
Cyanogenic risk, no established anticancer benefit
ANSES describes poisoning after bitter-kernel consumption. Cyanide release explains neurological and cardiorespiratory risk; anticancer claims are not scientifically supported.
This entry describes a risk or interaction, not a beneficial property.
Read the referenceLimitations to keep in mind.
Do not consume or prepare the plant at home. After suspected exposure, seek poison-centre advice; breathing, neurological or cardiovascular symptoms require urgent help.
Studies, findings & limitations
THE RESEARCH
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
Bitter kernels: review of poison-centre reports
This entry describes a risk or interaction, not a beneficial property.
- Type of research
- Analysis of exposure cases recorded by French poison centres from 2012 to 2017, with a toxicology overview.
- Preparation concerned
- Exposures and products described by the source; no home dose or preparation is inferred.
- Observed results
- ANSES describes poisoning after bitter-kernel consumption. Cyanide release explains neurological and cardiorespiratory risk; anticancer claims are not scientifically supported.
- Limitations to consider
- The document identifies risks, does not systematically measure their frequency and establishes no safe quantity. Risks are not therapeutic properties.
What can we take from this?
“Insufficient evidence” refers to establishing therapeutic benefit and use, not to absence of the described risk. This notice does not replace individual toxicological assessment or establish a safe quantity.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — French Pharmacopoeia, List B, January 2026, p. 2Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online : Prunus armeniaca L.Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Bloch J. / ANSES (2018) — Amandes amères de noyaux d’abricots : à consommer avec beaucoup de modération. Vigil’Anses n° 5Accessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Юрий Данилевский (Yuriy Danilevsky) · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.