Yes some foods have an effect on efficacy of different diabetic drugs and medicines but it all depends upon enzymes of liver. I have given here some of interactions of drugs typically used by Type 2 diabetics and the foods you take that affect how the liver processes them.
Foods Which Increase or Decrease the Function of Your Type 2 Diabetes Medications
1. Metformin: Metformin (Glucophage) a very commonly prescribed medicine for diabetes, is not processed by your liver. So no food is known to affect its function inside body
2. Sulfonylureas: Cytochrome P450 Enzyme metabolizes this group of medicine in liver. There are some food like Ginger, licorice, and hot peppers are also cleared with the help of this enzyme, so taking ginger, licorice, hot peppers, or especially grapefruit will increase function and effect of sulfonylureas in your body. It simply means that if you take sulfonylureas with these foods, there will be more chances of having low blood sugar.
Here are brand names for common sulfonyureas:
* chlorpropamide (Diabinese)
* glimepiride (Amaryl, Getryl, Gpride, Zynaryl)
* glipizide (Minodiab, Glucotrol)
* tolbutamide (Orinase)
* glibenclamide (Daonil, Euglucon)
* gliclazide (Diamicron, Scicon MR).
3. Vildagliptin: Vildagliptin a new coming drug Galvus, is also metabolized in your liver with the help of cytochrome P450, but not too much extent. So taking hot peppers, grapefruit, ginger, licorice have a little affect on how the body uses Galvus, slightly increasing its blood sugar lowering effects.
4. Sitagliptin: Sitagliptin is available in the market with the trade name of Januvia, and two enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C8 in liver process this drug. There are many fruits and fruit juices interact with the function of these enzymes and enhance the risk of adverse effects from taking the drugs. You may avoid juices of wild grape, starfruit, pawpaw, orange, mango, rambutan, grapefruit, wild mulberry, pomegranate,kiwi, dragon fruit, and passion fruit.
5. Pioglitazone: This medicine is available with trade name of Actos, piozer, and is metabolized with the help of enzyme CYP2C8. So fruit juices that interact with the action of Januvia also affect clearance of Actos, but particularly pomegranate juice.
6. Rosiglitazone: Rosiglitazone, is available with the name of Avandia, is also metabolized with the help of the enzyme cytochrome CYP2C8. Its side effects are likewise more when we drink juices specially pomegranate juice.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Ginger,licorice,hot peppers and grapefruit are cleared with the help of Cytochrome P450 enzyme ,which also metabolizes sulfonylureas in the liver,so taking these foods concomitant with SFLs it will be the chance of having low blood sugar that because we can reduce the SFLs’ dosage in patient with liver or kidney failure .