Grapefruit juice may make low doses of anti-cancer drug as
effective as higher doses (CBS News) New research finds a simple
modification may make a cancer drug three times more powerful
without the side effects a higher dose would likely cause. All
it takes is a glass of grapefruit juice. In the preliminary
study published in the August issue of Clinical Cancer Research,
scientists at the University of Chicago set out to analyze how
certain foods would affect metabolism of the anti-cancer drug
called sirolimus, which is an FDA-approved drug to prevent
rejection of a kidney transplant and has been seen to help some
people with cancer. The problem with sirolimus, however, is that
the drug is easily metabolized and leaves the blood stream
before it can show benefits. The optimal dose needed to show
anti-tumor benefits also brings with it significant
gastrointestinal problems. "Grapefruit juice, and drugs with a
similar mechanism, can significantly increase blood levels of
many drugs, but this has long been consi