cyclosporine
4 interactions related to cyclosporine
cyclosporine + st. john's wort
St. John's wort is a potent inducer of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein, which dramatically accelerates cyclosporine metabolism and efflux. Co-administration reduces cyclosporine blood AUC by roughly 40-50%, producing subtherapeutic levels that have caused documented acute organ rejection in heart, kidney, and liver transplant recipients.
seville orange + cyclosporine
Seville orange juice contains furanocoumarins that reduce enterocyte CYP3A4 expression by approximately 40%, although a controlled human study found no significant change in cyclosporine AUC, likely because cyclosporine disposition also depends on intestinal P-glycoprotein, which Seville orange does not inhibit as strongly as grapefruit.
cyclosporine + grapefruit
Grapefruit juice contains furanocoumarins that irreversibly inhibit intestinal CYP3A4, raising cyclosporine bioavailability by 35-60% and increasing the risk of nephrotoxicity, hypertension, and neurotoxicity. The effect can persist for 24 hours or longer after a single glass.
cyclosporine + echinacea
Echinacea is marketed as an immune stimulant and has been shown in vitro and in some animal models to activate macrophages, NK cells, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. While direct pharmacokinetic effects on cyclosporine levels are not well documented in humans, the immunostimulant pharmacology directly opposes the goal of immunosuppression in transplant and autoimmune patients.