食品と医薬品の相互作用.

Drugs can only function as pharmaceuticals if they are accompanied by the necessary information for their proper use, such as efficacy and effect, dosage, and administration, as well as their potential side effects. This information may include unintended changes in drug efficacy or the development of side effects resulting from the use of two or more concomitant drugs, i.e., food- drug interactions. Such interactions also occur between meals, foods, or their constituents and pharmaceuticals. Drugs taken may potentially impact the function of nutrients or non-nutrients in foods (or both) or the nutritional status of humans. These occurrences are one of the critical issues for the safe and effective use of pharmaceuticals. Dietary intake itself markedly influences drug absorption by altering the physiology of the digestive system (including gastrointestinal peristalsis, secretion of digestive fluids, bile secretion, and blood flow). Additionally, wide variety of foods are consumed, and the ingredients include a diverse range of chemicals, including phytochemicals and other non-nutritive substances, in addition to nutrients. Moreover, even within the same food, the concentration of particular components it is expected to vary, depending on breed variety, area of production, and harvest season. Additionally, individual preferences also vary, hence the intake situation varies highly among individuals, influencing the type, combination, and quantity of foods consumed. Thus, information on food-drug interactions is extremely scarce, making proper assessment and management difficult. In this sense, food-drug interactions are the weakest link affecting the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals. Food-drug interactions are similar to drug-drug interactions since both medications and food components are chemical compounds. These interactions can be divided into pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions. Pharmacokinetic interactions change the blood and tissue concentration of the drug during the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion processes. Pharmacodynamic interactions are caused by the additive/synergic or antagonistic effects between the pharmacological action of a drug and the functionality of the food. Alternatively, the resulting interactions are not only detrimental, but are also beneficial, such as, reducing side effects. Furthermore, the nutritional status of the patient may influence the effectiveness of the drug or, conversely, the drug may influence the nutritional status. Thus, understanding the connection between medicine and diet is also crucial for appropriate drug usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]