Grapefruit juice also affects the activity of p-glycoprotein, a protein system that helps transport drugs back and forth across cells in our bodies. When people who take these medications drink grapefruit juice or consume fresh grapefruit, the body may not break down the medications in a normal manner, and this can lead to unwanted side effects and toxicity in susceptible individuals. These enzymes, known as “cytochrome P450 3A4”, are involved in the metabolism of numerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs including fexofenadine (Allegra®), statin drugs (simvastatin and atorvastatin, and buspirone (BuSpar®). In humans, the prominent furanocoumarins that are present in grapefruit are also known to block the activity of intestinal enzymes that assist in the breakdown of many medications. Furanocoumarins are natural compounds that play a role in citrus plant defense mechanisms against insects and other stressors. Grapefruit is also our largest dietary source of furanocoumarins. Grapefruit contains multiple natural compounds including flavonoids, organic acids, and carotenoids. Why does grapefruit juice interact with some medications? Since then, multiple other studies have evaluated the potential interactions between grapefruit juice and medications. The study authors concluded that this clinical effect was possibly due to an unexpected effect of the grapefruit juice. Surprisingly, blood levels of felodipine were significantly higher in the individuals who consumed felodipine with the ethanol/grapefruit juice mixture than in those who took felodipine with the placebo drink, and the patients who drank ethanol/grapefruit juice also had lower blood pressures than the study participants who consumed placebo. In this study, participants were administered either a drink without ethanol (the placebo) or a drink that had ethanol mixed with grapefruit juice to mask the taste, followed by a dose of the blood pressure drug. This phenomenon was initially reported in a 1989 study that investigated the potential interactions between ethanol and felodipine, a drug used to treat blood pressure. While citrus fruits are often celebrated for their health-promoting activities, the consumption of certain citrus fruits can cause interactions with many prescription and over-the-counter medications. Also, check to see if any other fruits or juices may affect your medication in a similar way to grapefruit juice.The Full Story Can I drink grapefruit juice with my medicines? Read all information provided with your medications and talk to your doctor, pharmacist or other health care provider to find out if a medication is affected by grapefruit juice, or how much, if any, grapefruit juice you can have. And, the severity of the interaction can differ depending on the person, the drug and the amount of grapefruit juice consumed, the FDA said. Grapefruit juice doesn't affect all drugs in the listed categories. Some antihistamines, such as Allegra (fexofenadine).Drugs used to treat abnormal heart rhythms, such as Pacerone and Nexterone (both amiodarone).Corticosteroids used to treat Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, such as Entocort EC and Uceris (both budesonide).Organ-transplant rejection drugs, such as Sandimmune and Neoral (both cyclosporine). High blood pressure drugs, such as Procardia and Adalat CC (both nifedipine).Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin).When there is too much drug in the blood, you may have more side effects," the FDA's Shiew Mei Huang said in an agency news release.ĭrugs that can be affected by grapefruit include: In most types of medications that interact with grapefruit juice, "the juice lets more of the drug enter the blood.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |