Question:

I recently had two cardiac stents implanted and was prescribed coversyl, plavix, lipitor and aspirin to be taken daily. Will pomegranate juice which I also take daily interact in any detrimental way with any of those medications? I ask this question as I have had 3 recent blackouts or maybe it`s called fainting which is something that I have never experienced in my 82 years.

Answer:

There are studies showing that chemicals in pomegranate juice may interfere with how the body absorbs and processes medications. These studies were small in scale, and in animal models. It is difficult to say how they may affect human drug metabolism. Interactions may cause either more drug or less drug to be in the body.

Any interaction between your medications and pomegranate juice is likely to occur when they are taken within 1-2 hours of each other. You can reduce the risk of an interaction by spacing out the pomegranate juice from your medications by at least 2 hours.

If the pomegranate juice is interacting with your medications, the result would not be blacking out or fainting. I highly recommend that you discuss your blackouts with your physician to determine whether they are a symptom of something else.

For more information:

Go to the Pharmacy and Medications health topic.