Potential clinically significant drug interactions of drugs with fruit and berry juices

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Any drug can potentially cause adverse drug reactions (ADRs), including serious and fatal. Some of them are caused by interactions with food, in particular, fruit and berry juices. Juices have a complex chemical composition and each of the chemicals can interact with drugs. Grapefruit juice is one of the most popular and well-studed in terms of potential drug interactions juices. Grapefruit juice is an inhibitor of CYP3A enzymes in the intestine involved in the presystemic metabolism of drug substrates. Therefore, it can increase their absorption. Apple juice at a concentration of 5% significantly reduces the activity of OATP, but not the activity of P-glycoprotein, which, for example, leads to a decrease in AUC and Cmax of fexofenadine to 30- 40% relative to the concentration of fexofenadine in patients drinking only water. Taking 200 ml of grape juice can reduce the concentration of phenacetin in blood plasma and increase the ratio of AUC of paracetamol to phenacetin due to the induction of CYP1A2 activity by grape juice flavonoids or by reducing the rate of absorption of phenacetin. To prevent ADRs, it is recommended to take drugs with water and and not consume simultaneously juices that are known to interact with drugs.

Key words

Drugs, adverse drug reactions, drug-induced diseases, drug-food interactions, fruit and berry juices.