frogfish Posted May 16, 2006 #1 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Clue to grapefruit drug reaction Grapefruit is full of vitamin C Scientists say they have the best evidence to date pinpointing the substance in grapefruit that can interact dangerously with some drugs. Grapefruit is known to increase the rate at which some drugs - including cholesterol and blood pressure medications - enter the blood stream. It was thought the flavonoids that make grapefruit taste bitter were to blame. But a US study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests other chemicals - furanocoumarins - are key. This is the best evidence to date that furanocoumarins are the active ingredients Dr Paul Watkins The drugs affected by grapefruit juice usually have some difficulty entering the body after they are consumed because an intestinal enzyme partially destroys them as they are absorbed. Grapefruit juice, but not other commonly consumed fruit juices, inhibits this enzyme, allowing more of these drugs to enter the body. As a result, grapefruit juice is avoided by some patients while others deliberately take their drugs with the juice. Blood tests A team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tested the theory that furanocoumarins, and not flavonoids, were to blame for inhibiting the enzyme. They compared the effect of standard grapefruit juice with a version from which furanocoumarins had been removed. Volunteers were given 10 milligrams of felodipine, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, washed down with either orange juice, regular grapefruit juice or grapefruit juice devoid of furanocoumarins. Blood tests showed that only regular grapefruit juice interacted with the absorption of the drug. Lead researcher Dr Paul Watkins said: "This is the best evidence to date that furanocoumarins are the active ingredients in grapefruit juice that cause the interaction with medications. If further research identifies and extracts this chemical from grapefruit in the future, everyone may be able to enjoy eating grapefruit and benefit from its antioxidants Belinda Linden British Heart Foundation "We found that removing the furanocoumarins from grapefruit juice entirely got rid of this interaction." Dr Watkins said it should be possible to market furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice to patients who would otherwise need to avoid grapefruit. It should also be possible to screen new foods for the potential for drug interactions by determining whether they contain furanocoumarins. "Finally, it may be possible to add furanocoumarins to formulations of certain drugs that tend to be poorly or erratically absorbed to improve their oral delivery," he said. Belinda Linden, of the British Heart Foundation, said furanocoumarins were found in high amounts in grapefruit juice. She said: "If further research identifies and extracts this chemical from grapefruit in the future, everyone may be able to enjoy eating grapefruit and benefit from its antioxidants. "Until then, people who take statin drugs or certain other medicines should not consume grapefruit." ---------- Link 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplos Posted May 17, 2006 #2 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I think saying "Grapefruit is bad for you," is very misleading. It is bad for you if you are taking certain medications. People should be made aware of potential drug/food/supplement interactions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbieb Posted May 17, 2006 #3 Share Posted May 17, 2006 anytihng that tastes that bad is not healthy for u anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 17, 2006 #4 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I think saying "Grapefruit is bad for you," is very misleading. It is bad for you if you are taking certain medications. People should be made aware of potential drug/food/supplement interactions. I know it is. I've been eating grapefruit everyday for the last week and I thought I was somehow screwing myself till I clicked the thread. I should tell my dad though, he loves grapefruit and takes some of those pills. So good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 17, 2006 Author #5 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I used some poetic license to make the thread more appealing...I know its only bad with certain meds... Better tell your dad Kratos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinash_Tyagi Posted May 17, 2006 #6 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I don't take any meds (don't need them) so i'm good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostLittleGirl Posted May 17, 2006 #7 Share Posted May 17, 2006 (edited) I don't like grapefruit. It's too sour. Besides the last time I ate it I ended up thowing up a few times. Edited May 17, 2006 by LostLittleGirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melly Posted May 17, 2006 #8 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I work in the kitchen of a nursing home. This is true about grapefruit. We can't even serve grapefruit juice anymore in the homes. Important info. Good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bebi Posted May 22, 2006 #9 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I actually heard about this around a year ago on a UK medical drama (Casualty) LOL great post Frogfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conspiracy Posted May 22, 2006 #10 Share Posted May 22, 2006 everythings bad for u these days.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Greenman Posted May 22, 2006 #11 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I wish they would have give a list of the drugs affected or even a link. What good it is to publish a story like that if you only give half the information. I love grapefruit and living in Florida during season I need only pick it off the neighbors tree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckys_Mom Posted May 22, 2006 #12 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Clue to grapefruit drug reaction Grapefruit is full of vitamin C Scientists say they have the best evidence to date pinpointing the substance in grapefruit that can interact dangerously with some drugs. Grapefruit is known to increase the rate at which some drugs - including cholesterol and blood pressure medications - enter the blood stream. It was thought the flavonoids that make grapefruit taste bitter were to blame. YUCK I dont like grapefruit anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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