European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FOOD AND DRUG INTERACTION IS AN UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN DIETICIAN AND DOCTOR WITH PATIENT COMPLIANCES

Prof. Dr. Badmanaban Ramalingam*, Mr. Jaya Kumar K.S, Prof. Dr. Dhrubo Jyoti Sen and Mr. Eby George

ABSTRACT

Perhaps the most common question patients ask about their medication, aside from "Why does this medication cost so much?" is, "Should I take this with or without food?" In most cases, upon looking in the package insert or drug information resource, the pharmacist discovers that most drugs in question may be administered without regard to meals. However, some food products are fortified with vitamins and/or minerals that can interact with certain drugs. Therefore, the more appropriate question to ask is, "Which foods should I avoid taking with my medications?" Furthermore, many patients consume mega-vitamins and supplements with known drug interactions, yet they are often unaware of these interactions. The purpose of this article is to equip pharmacists with a better understanding of drug–food interactions. This article differs from traditional reviews on this topic because the food substance is categorized individually, with the interacting drugs discussed under each heading. While there are hundreds of drug–nutrient interactions reported in the literature, the aim here is to focus on those that are more common and clinically significant. The effect of a drug on a person may be different since the drug may interact with another drug the person is taking (drug-drug interaction), food, beverages, dietary supplements the person is consuming (drug-nutrient/food interaction) or another disease the person has (drug-disease interaction). A drug interaction is a situation in which a substance affects the activity of a drug, i.e. the effects of the drugs are increased or decreased, or they produce a new effect that neither produces on its own. Physicians and pharmacists recognize that some drugs when taken simultaneously with some food can alter the body's ability to utilize a particular food or drug, or cause serious side effects. Pharmacists have a major role in preventing drug-food interaction. Therefore, it is advisable for patients to follow the physician and doctor’s instructions to obtain maximum benefits with least food-drug interactions. This review gives information about various interactions between different foods and drugs which will help physicians and pharmacists to prescribe drugs cautiously with only suitable food supplement to get maximum benefit for the patient.

Keywords: OTC (Over-The-Counter) drugs, Cardiovascular drugs, Diuretic drugs, Antibiotics, Antidiabetic drugs, Antiinflammatory drugs, Stimulants, Bronchodilators, Sedatives, Antiallergic drugs, GIT drugs.