Restasis and grapefruit

[heyjude0701]

Does anybody know if people taking Restasis should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice? I just read a list of drugs that interact with grapefruit, and cyclosporin was on that list. I am assuming that people who take cyclosporin by mouth shouldn't eat grapefruit, but what about cyclosporin eyedrops (Restasis)? When the application and effect is local, does grapefruit still interact with the drug? Also, in what way does grapefruit interact with cyclosporin- does it make the effect stronger or weaker? Judy

[Guest]

Usually when grapefruits interact with a medication they make it seem to your body as if you took more medication than you actually did - the grapefruit slows down the body's ability to metabolize certain medications, so the medication sticks around longer, and blood levels of the medication can be higher than they would have been if the person did not ingest the grapefruit.

However, since Restasis is only being applied topically, and very, very little, if any, gets into your blood stream, I can't imagine that grapefruits would have much, if any, effect.

[heyjude0701]

Thanks Saag, that's what I thought too. Anyhow, if grapefruit strengthened the effect of Restasis, which it probably doesn't since, as you say, very little if any gets into my bloodstream, maybe Restasis would have an effect. I think it has been pretty useless for me. Judy

[Nikki]

I'd watch out for grapefruit in general, with any prescription. It can speed up or slow down the metabolism of numerous medications, causing dangerous side effects.