Xanax is an anti-anxiety drug belonging to the class of benzodiazepine drugs. Benzodiazepines are sedatives that cause dose-related depression of the central nervous system. They are useful in treating anxiety, insomnia, and muscle spasms. Xanax is administered to the patients who suffer from various neurotic disorders like anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and other kinds of cerebral diseases which traumatize a person psychologically. Anxiety disorder in particular is marked by unrealistic worry or excessive fears and concerns. Anxiety associated with depression is also responsive to Xanax.
There are quite a number of other drugs which are a strict ‘NO’ if you are taking Xanax. For e.g. the anti-fungal drugs like Sporanol and Nizoral cause a build up of Xanax in the body. There are certain other items too which react with Xanax and either increase or decrease its effect. One such item is grape fruit juice. A person taking grape fruit juice should inform his physician before hand while taking Xanax.
Grape fruit juice blocks the cytochrome enzymes P-450 3A4 1A2 in our intestinal wall. The bodies of all living organisms have evolved the cytochrome P-450 enzyme system, which is the superfamily of enzymes responsible for the removal of drugs and toxins from the body. The cytochrome P-450 3A4 subfamily located primarily in the liver and the intestinal tract is basically helpful in the metabolization of the drugs. Most drugs are ‘lipid soluble’, and hence get absorbed in the blood stream quickly. Cytochrome P-450 enzymes act by breaking the drugs in the gut itself or changes them into a more water soluble version in the liver. The kidney then eliminates it in the form of urine. Thus, the liver, gut and kidney work together to prevent excessive amounts of drug and/or toxins from getting into your bloodstream. Thus it can well be understood that how important is the presence of the enzymes like P-450 3A4 1A2 in our body for preventing the unnecessary over absorption of the harmful chemicals of the drugs.The kidney can then eliminate them in the urine. Grape juice blocks the enzyme P-450 3A4 in the gut itself. By inhibiting this defense mechanism, grapefruit juice may increase the blood levels of some drugs. Therefore, you may experience adverse effects from the drugs you are taking when taken with grapefruit juice.
The precise chemical nature of the substance in the grapefruit juice that inhibits gut wall CTP 3A4 enzymes is unknown. It has been suggested that flavanoids, coumarin, or psoralen derivatives in the grapefruit juice could be the inhibitors. The amount of inhibiting substance in grapefruit juice may vary by brand, concentrations and storage conditions. If benzodiazepine drugs like Xanax are taken with grapefruit juice, it increases the drug levels in the bloodstream increasing the sedative effect.