Do Furanocoumarins Mediate the Fexofenadine-grapefruit Juice Interaction?

April 21, 2017 updated by: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Purpose: Grapefruit juice is one of the most extensively studied dietary/natural substances shown to interact with a variety of medications. However, unanswered questions remain regarding the causative ingredients and mechanisms underlying such drug-grapefruit juice interactions. Compounds in grapefruit juice called furanocoumarins have been established as major causative ingredients, which act by inhibiting the elimination (metabolism) of drugs, leading to increased circulating drug concentrations. Increased drug concentrations can in turn lead to increased drug potency or even toxicity. Grapefruit juice also has been shown, paradoxically, to decrease circulating concentrations of some drugs, including the non-sedating antihistamine agent, fexofenadine (Allegra), which undergoes negligible metabolism. Whether or not furanocoumarins mediate the decrease in fexofenadine concentrations is unknown. The purpose of the proposed study is to compare the effects of a "furanocoumarin-free" grapefruit juice with grapefruit juice on circulating concentrations of fexofenadine.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Participants: Healthy volunteers of any race/ethnicity, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years, will be enrolled.

Procedures (methods): Procedures will include administration of water, furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice, or grapefruit juice with fexofenadine; placement of an intravenous (IV) line; and collection of blood over 72 hours.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
18

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
        • North Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men or women between the ages of 18 and 65
  • Normal screening laboratory test results
  • Able to understand the informed consent form
  • Willing to abstain from grapefruit products and all fruit juices for one week prior to and during the study
  • Willing to abstain from alcohol and caffeinated beverages the evening prior to each study day

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of intolerance to grapefruit products
  • History of any allergy or hypersensitivity to grapefruit products or fexofenadine
  • History of significant medical conditions that the study physician believes would increase risk
  • History of significant alcohol abuse and/or illicit drug use
  • Tobacco use within the month preceding the study
  • Pregnancy or breast-feeding
  • Taking concomitant medications, both prescription and non-prescription (including herbal products), known to alter fexofenadine blood levels or P-gp and/or OATP activity (women stabilized on hormonal methods of birth control will be allowed to participate)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: Sequence 1: Water, GFJ, FC-free GFJ
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice (GFJ), or furanocoumarin (FC)-free grapefruit juice.
Drug: Fexofenadine
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice, or furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice.
Other Names:
  • Screening: labs, physical exam
  • Placement of an intravenous (IV) line
  • Collection of blood over 72 hours
Other: Sequence 2: Water, FC-free GFJ, GFJ
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice (GFJ), or furanocoumarin (FC)-free grapefruit juice.
Drug: Fexofenadine
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice, or furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice.
Other Names:
  • Screening: labs, physical exam
  • Placement of an intravenous (IV) line
  • Collection of blood over 72 hours
Other: Sequence 3: GFJ, FC-free GFJ, Water
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice (GFJ), or furanocoumarin (FC)-free grapefruit juice.
Drug: Fexofenadine
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice, or furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice.
Other Names:
  • Screening: labs, physical exam
  • Placement of an intravenous (IV) line
  • Collection of blood over 72 hours
Other: Sequence 4: GFJ, Water, FC-free GFJ
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice (GFJ), or furanocoumarin (FC)-free grapefruit juice.
Drug: Fexofenadine
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice, or furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice.
Other Names:
  • Screening: labs, physical exam
  • Placement of an intravenous (IV) line
  • Collection of blood over 72 hours
Other: Sequence 5: FC-free GFJ, GFJ, Water
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice (GFJ), or furanocoumarin (FC)-free grapefruit juice.
Drug: Fexofenadine
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice, or furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice.
Other Names:
  • Screening: labs, physical exam
  • Placement of an intravenous (IV) line
  • Collection of blood over 72 hours
Other: Sequence 6: FC-free GFJ, Water, GFJ
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice (GFJ), or furanocoumarin (FC)-free grapefruit juice.
Drug: Fexofenadine
This randomized, open-label, single-dose, 3-way crossover study in healthy volunteers will be conducted in the CTRC. Once subjects are identified as eligible to participate, based on their screening evaluation and according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will undergo 3 phases. By randomized crossover design, the subject will receive fexofenadine with water, grapefruit juice, or furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice.
Other Names:
  • Screening: labs, physical exam
  • Placement of an intravenous (IV) line
  • Collection of blood over 72 hours

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Primary Pharmacokinetic Measure: Area Under the Curve (AUC)
Time Frame: 0-72 hours
0-72 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mary F Paine, PhD, UNC-Chapel Hill

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 31, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 2, 2012

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 3, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 30, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 21, 2017

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB 09-0788

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings