(R)-Prunasin is a cyanogenic glucoside that is the precursor to amygdalin, a bitter component found in species of the genera Prunus and Olinia. It can be degraded to hydrogen cyanide, glucose, and benzaldehyde by the action of prunasin hydrolase and mandelonitrile lyase and possesses inhibitory effects on plant growth. (R)-Prunasin reportedly inhibits rat DNA polymerase β, which performs base excision repair required for DNA maintenance and replication, with an IC50 value of 98 μM.
