Pomegranate juice is a potent antioxidant that has gained popularity as a food that can yield a variety of health benefits. Despite the nutritional value of pomegranate, daily consumption of pomegranate juice may not be appropriate for people taking certain prescription drugs. For this reason, talk with your doctor about any medications you are taking before you add pomegranate juice to your diet.
Warfarin
A case report published in the August 2009 issue of the journal "Pharmacotherapy" reported that pomegranate juice may enhance the effects of a blood-thinning medication called warfarin. In the case report, a woman maintained stable international normalized ratios, or INRs -- a measurement used by doctors to monitor blood clotting -- while taking 4 mg of warfarin daily and drinking pomegranate juice two to three times each week. When the woman stopped drinking pomegranate juice, her INRs were altered significantly, requiring her to take a higher dosage of warfarin to maintain the blood-thinning effect of the medication. Although more research is needed to examine the interaction between pomegranate juice and warfarin, people taking warfarin should talk with a doctor before increasing their daily consumption of pomegranate juice.
Anti-hypertension Drugs
Health professionals with the University of Maryland Medical Center warn that pomegranate may interact with prescription drugs that are intended to lower high blood pressure. Consuming pomegranate juice in conjunction with ACE inhibitors such as enalapril, fosinopril, ramipril and benazepril may enhance the effects of such drugs, causing your blood pressure to fall too much. Consequently, combining pomegranate juice with antihypertensive drugs may result in severely low blood pressure and may lead to dizziness, headaches or fainting.
Statins
Statins are popular prescription drugs used to reduce elevated cholesterol levels. One report cited by the University of Maryland Medical Center notes that a man taking a statin in conjunction with 200 mL of pomegranate juice each week developed a condition called rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis leads to kidney damage and results in the breakdown of muscle tissue throughout the body. Although it is unclear whether the combination of pomegranate juice and statins directly results in rhabdomyolysis, talk with your doctor before drinking pomegranate juice while taking this type of cholesterol medication.
Tolbutamide
Drinking pomegranate juice may make it harder for your body to break down certain drugs, such as tolbutamide, according to a February 2007 article published in "Drug Metabolism and Disposition: The Biological Fate of Chemicals." Increased drug absorption accompanied by reduced drug metabolism can increase your risk of developing drug-related side effects.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Pomegranate -- Possible Interactions
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Pomegranate; Apr. 18, 2011
- "Drug Metabolism and Disposition"; Effects of Pomegranate Juice on Human Cytochrome P450 2C9 and Tolbutamide Pharmacokinetics in Rats; M. Nagata, et al.; February 2007
- "Pharmacotherapy"; Potential Interaction Between Pomegranate Juice and Warfarin; K.E. Komperda; August 2009
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