There are significant sex-related differences in the rate of elimination of itraconazole oral solution when given with water. However, these differences in the rate of elimination of itraconazole were not observed when itraconazole was administered with grapefruit juice in lieu of water.
Grapefruit juice affects how the body handles many medicines.
Currently, there is debate as to what medicines are affected by the ingestion of grapefruit juice and to what extent this effect may have in patients who are taking these medications. There is little information on the role sex plays on the grapefruit juice drug interactions. The significance of this work is that sex may play a role in how grapefruit juice affects medicines given to patients. Therefore, because the role of sex is often not studied there may be slight differences based on sex for a given drug even though it has been reported that grapefruit juice does not interact with that given drug. Scott A. McConnell and Paul O. Gubbins from the UAMS College of Pharmacy studied 10 males and 10 females that ingested either grapefruit juice or water for three days and took itraconazole oral solution on the third day.