LAKELAND, Fla., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Florida officials are denying a University of Rochester report that grapefruit juice apparently contributed to the death of a patient on Lipitor.
The school's medical center issued a report Monday warning that since grapefruit juice is metabolized by cytochrome P-450 3A4, the same enzyme in the liver that breaks down many drugs, it can be hazardous to people on certain cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as Lipitor, or inhibit the functioning of birth-control pills.
"The conclusions concerning death and pregnancy made in the University of Rochester Medical Center's press release are not based on scientific evidence," said Dr. Hartmut Derendorf of the University of Florida's College of Pharmacy. "Many scientific studies showed grapefruit interactions with some specific drugs, but I cannot find any evidence that death or pregnancy resulted from grapefruit juice."
Grapefruit may increase the levels of some birth control components, but not decrease the effectiveness that would result in pregnancy, he said.
The Florida Department of Citrus said Wednesday it wants clarification from the university about its report.
