In this article, we will look at how compatible grapefruit and drugs are.
Grapefruit is the leader among the most famous, popular and he althy fruits. The outlandish "vine fruit" was brought from Barbados to America in the early nineteenth century. Since then, scientists have been arguing about the benefits and harms of a wonderful fruit that has an exquisite bitter-sour taste, wonderful aroma and attractive appearance.
Doctors are warning people about the dangers of mixing a huge range of drugs with seemingly harmless food like grapefruit. The fact is that this fruit can cause an overdose of certain drugs. It also prevents the breakdown of drugs in the liver and intestines. Let's talk about the compatibility and interaction of grapefruit and drugs.
Dangerous properties of this fruit
Chemical components contained in grapefruit (we are talking about furanocoumarins),flush out enzymes that break down drugs. This leads to the fact that medicines in the intestines are not metabolized, and a large amount of them penetrates into the blood. One pill taken with this juice is like ten pills taken with a glass of water.
That is, in fact, grapefruit and drugs are incompatible.
Of the eighty-four known drugs that interact with grapefruit, forty-three may experience serious side effects, including sudden death, acute kidney failure, respiratory arrest, digestive bleeding, and bone marrow suppression in immunocompromised people.
In addition to grapefruit and its juice, other citrus products like orange, often used in the manufacture of marmalade, as well as lime and pomelo, are no less dangerous when combined with drugs.
Drug interactions and compatibility
What is the actual compatibility of grapefruit and drugs? Let's figure it out.
It is worth remembering that the effect of grapefruit can last for a day, in connection with this, people who take certain drugs should refuse to use it during therapy or ask the doctor about alternative medicines. Thus, the fruit in question is incompatible with most pharmaceuticals. So most often there is no compatibility between grapefruit and medicines.
Next, we will find out which medicines with this product are better notuse.
What drugs should not be taken with grapefruit?
As a rule, these are the following means:
- First of all, we are talking about statins (drugs designed to lower cholesterol), for example, "Lovastatin" along with "Atorvastatin", "Simvastatin", "Ezetimibe" and "Simvastatin".
- Antihistamine drugs in the form of Fexofenadine and Terfenadine.
- Calcium antagonists (used to lower blood pressure). We are talking about "Nimodipine", "Felodipine", "Nisoldipine" and "Verapamil".
- Psychiatric medications such as Buspirone along with Triazole, Carbamazepine, Diazepam, Midazol and Sertraline.
- Drugs for the digestive system, for example, Cisapride.
- Immunosuppressive drugs in the form of Cyclosporine and Tacrolimus.
- Painkillers like Methadone.
- Drugs intended for erectile dysfunction, for example, Sildenafil (Viagra).
- Antiretroviral drugs (for HIV), such as Saquinavir.
- Antiarrhythmic drugs in the form of Amiodarone and Disopyramide.
High blood pressure medication and grapefruit
Not so long ago, scientists studied the question of how compatible drugs for high blood pressure (that is, calcium channel blockers) with alcohol. In order for no psychological factors to affect the result of the experiment, the experts decided to disguise the taste of an alcoholic drink.white grapefruit juice.
Many side effects
Suddenly, it turned out that the pure extract of this product caused many more side effects and overdose symptoms than alcohol. In this regard, from now on, a strong statement has been established in the field of medicine and pharmaceuticals that such a fruit with anti-pressure drugs should never be taken.
Why is the interaction of grapefruit and drugs dangerous?
What is wrong with grapefruit, why is it dangerous when combined with drugs?
In fact, there is nothing wrong with this fruit. Almost all components that can affect the intake of medicines have a beneficial effect on the human body, and only together with medicines can such a product play a cruel joke on people. It contains:
- Furanocoumarins, which block one of the most important enzymes, thanks to which a large number of medical drugs are metabolized. As a result, much more pharmaceuticals enter the bloodstream than they should actually be, and they have an extremely toxic effect on the body. In order to restore the normal activity of this enzyme, it takes a full seventy-two hours after the consumption of grapefruit.
- Flavonoids, which also block a number of enzymes responsible for the processing of medicinal components in various organs. The metabolism of drugs is significantlyslows down. As a result, increased concentrations of chemicals accumulate in the human body.
Glycoprotein blocking component
There is in this fruit and to date still an unknown component that blocks the so-called glycoprotein, which is responsible for cleansing cells from foreign unnecessary substances: for example, they throw out excess drugs. If this component does not work well, then high concentrations of drugs begin to accumulate in the tissues, which can serve as the development of toxic poisoning.
How to combine grapefruit and medication?
Should people refuse grapefruits?
There are undoubted grapefruit lovers among us, for whom it would be extremely sad to refuse these favorite fruits, although possible. Fortunately, pharmacologists believe that such a sacrifice is not necessary. You just need to consume these pleasures or drink this juice four hours before drinking the medicine.
It is likely that the nectar will not affect a person in such an unfavorable way, but, nevertheless, it is better to remember such a possibility. Some fruits contain the same substances as grapefruits, but in much lower concentrations. Among them, it is worth noting apples along with oranges and pomelo. Therefore, pharmacologists warn people that it is best not to drink drugs with juice at all.
We looked at how to combine grapefruit and medicines correctly.
