Apple seeds contain the sugar-based
enzyme "
prunasin" or "
Amygdalin" which is a
cyanogenic glycoside - a
chemical that becomes a
poison when it is
digested or in response to
tissue damage of the host plant. Prunasin releases
cyanide. ( Exposure to high levels of
cyanide harms the brain and heart, and may cause coma and death. Exposure to lower levels may result in
breathing difficulties,
heart pains,
vomiting, blood changes, headaches, and enlargement of the
thyroid gland.)
It takes about 100 grams of crushed (crushing causes the "prunasin" or "Amygdalin" to produce the cyanide) apple seed to make a person of about 150 pounds rather ill. This is around half a cup of seeds. To commit
suicide using apple seeds you need to crush and eat these seeds fairly quickly, both to avoid
evaporation of cyanide from the crushed seeds, and so as not to lose consciousness before ingesting a
lethal dose.