Does Amoxicillin Interact With Grapefruit?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not grapefruit or grapefruit juice interacts with amoxicillin.

Question

I accidentally mixed my amoxicillin 500 mg capsule with grapefruit juice. Is it still okay to take?

Asked by Simon On Nov 01, 2022

Answered by
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff

Published Nov 01, 2022
Last updated Apr 18, 2024

Key points

  • While grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interact with a number of drugs, there is no known interaction with amoxicillin.

Answer

Amoxicillin does not have a listed or reported interaction with grapefruit juice and the combined use of both is considered to be safe.

Drug - Grapefruit Interactions

Grapefruit has notable interactions with many different medications. The interaction occurs via several different mechanisms including:

  • Inhibition of CYP3A metabolizing enzymes
  • Inhibition of organic anion-transporting polypeptides (OATPs)

Both grapefruit (the whole fruit) and juice have been found to interact with medication. In fact, it can take just one grapefruit or as little as one cup (i.e. 8 ounces) of grapefruit juice to cause a drug interaction. 

Making potential interactions worse, enzyme inhibition from grapefruit can last for over 24 hours, thus making separating medication and grapefruit/juice insignificant.

Fortunately, amoxicillin is not metabolized by anything that is affected by grapefruit/grapefruit juice, at least not significantly. They are considered safe to take together.

Final Words

Thanks for your question! Reach back out anytime!

References

  • Amoxicillin Monograph, PubChem
  • Grapefruit-medication interactions: forbidden fruit or avoidable consequences?, PubMed
  • A comparison of the pharmacokinetics of bacampicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and cyclacillin: oral administration in infants and children, PubMed

About the Pharmacist

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD

Dr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.

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