Lipitor and grapefruit side effects7/25/2023 An important point is that some of the research studies involving GFJ and statins used unrealistically large quantities of GFJ, or ‘super-strength’ forms of GFJ. These include: atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), fluvastatin (Lescol), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), and rosuvastatin (Crestor). All other statin derivatives are not meaningfully affected by typical quantities of grapefruit or GFJ. The GFJ-simvastatin combination is best avoided, and another statin used in its place. The only statin medication that is meaningfully affected by an interaction with customary amounts of grapefruit juice (GFJ) is simvastatin. The result is that medications ordinarily metabolized by intestinal CYP3A may end up with greater absorption and higher levels in blood, as if a higher dose were taken. The grapefruit itself, and juice made from the fruit, contain natural substances called furanocoumarins, which have the effect of inactivating CYP3A in the intestinal wall. Greenblatt, MD, answers: “With the exception of simvastatin (Zocor), it is safe to take statin medications with customary amounts of grapefruit products – such as one glass of typical commercially-available grapefruit juice, or one-half of a whole grapefruit.Ī number of medications, including some statins, are metabolized (broken down) by an enzyme in the wall of the intestines, termed Cytochrome P450-3A, often abbreviated CYP3A.
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