Food and medicine interaction
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice and oral budesonide (Entocort EC, Uceris) for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
EstablishedEvidence level: established. Shown in drug labeling or in controlled studies in people.
Last reviewed
What can happen
FDA lists oral budesonide for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis among drugs grapefruit can affect. Grapefruit can let more of the steroid into the blood and so raise the chance of steroid side effects.
- Why it happens
- Grapefruit blocks CYP3A4 in the gut wall, the enzyme that normally breaks down much of each swallowed dose.
- At ordinary food amounts
- MedlinePlus gives no allowed amount: avoid both the fruit and the juice while on oral budesonide.
What to do
MedlinePlus says not to eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking budesonide. If you are unsure whether your form of budesonide is affected, ask your pharmacist; do not stop a steroid suddenly on your own.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without talking to the prescriber.
Common questions
Can I have grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking oral corticosteroids?
MedlinePlus says not to eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking budesonide. If you are unsure whether your form of budesonide is affected, ask your pharmacist; do not stop a steroid suddenly on your own. MedlinePlus gives no allowed amount: avoid both the fruit and the juice while on oral budesonide.
Sources
Related
- RemedyGrapefruit: the full evidence pageA healthy fruit with one serious catch: it changes how the body handles certain medicines. It is the best-documented food-drug interaction there is. The fat-burning claims are not supported.
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