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Article: Grapefruit juice and medications: a potenially lethal combination: Juice's effects not completely understood
- Article from:
- Charleston Gazette
- Article date:
- July 4, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2002 Charleston Gazette. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Purchased by more than 20 percent of families in the United
States, grapefruit juice has been recognized to contain compounds
that reduce plaque formations within the arteries as well as inhibit
the growth of cancer cells. However, contrary to most other citrus
juices, grapefruit juice contains compounds that interact with a wide
range of medications, which have begun to seriously worry health care
professionals. Since medications are often taken at breakfast (with a
glass of grapefruit juice), these interactions become potentially
dangerous to many patients. These harmful effects seem to occur
through interactions with the main enzyme system responsible for drug
metabolism in the human ...