Also indexed as: Lopurim, Zyloprim
Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor used to prevent gout and to lower blood levels of uric acid in certain
people taking drugs for cancer.
Summary of
Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, an herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem
contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized
interactions.
 May Be Beneficial: Supportive
interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication
work better. |
L-tryptophan
|
Check: Other—Before taking any of these supplements or eating any of
these foods with your medication, read this article in full for details. |
L-carnitine
Vitamin D
|
| Depletion or interference |
None known
|
| Side effect reduction/prevention |
None known
|
| Reduced drug
absorption/bioavailability |
None known
|
| Adverse interaction |
None known
|
An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the
interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific
evidence.
Interactions with Dietary Supplements
Vitamin
D
Individuals with gout have low blood
concentration of the active form of vitamin D (1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol), and allopurinol
corrects this problem.1
L-Carnitine
People who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy have low levels of L-carnitine in their muscles.
Allopurinol restores L-carnitine to normal levels, resulting in improved muscle
strength.2 Whether L-carnitine supplementation might improve this effect of
allopurinol has not been investigated.
L-tryptophan
In a preliminary study, seven of eight individuals with severe mental depression showed improvement when they took
L-tryptophan and allopurinol;3 of these seven, five experienced full remission.
Controlled research is necessary to determine whether this combination might be more effective
for severe depression than standard treatment.
Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds
Food
Allopurinol may be taken with food to prevent stomach upset.4
Protein
Compared with people on high-protein diets, people on low-protein diets excrete less
allopurinol, resulting in a threefold increase in the time it takes for the drug to be removed
from the body.5 Vegetarians and those who eat low-protein diets (20 grams of
protein a day or less) should discuss this possible interaction with their healthcare
practitioner before taking allopurinol.
Alcohol
According to animal research, alcohol reduces the activity of antioxidant systems involving vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium, leading to tissue damage in the cerebellum;
however, allopurinol reverses this effect.6 Drinking alcoholic beverages also
increases the removal of allopurinol from the body, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the
drug.7 Therefore, people taking allopurinol should avoid alcohol.
References:1. Takahashi S, Yamamoto T, Moriwaki Y, et al. Decreased serum
concentrations of 1, 25 (OH)2-vitamin D3 in patients with gout. Metabolism
1998;47:336–8.
2. Camina F, Novo-Rodriguez MI, Rodriguez-Segade S, Castro-Gago M. Purine
and carnitine metabolism in muscle of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Clin Chim
Acta 1995;243:151–64.
3. Stern SL, Mendels J. Drug combinations in the treatment of refractory
depression: a review. J Clin Psychiatry 1981;42:368–73.
4. Threlkeld DS, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Antiemetic/Antivertigo
Agents, Miscellaneous, Agents For Gout. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information.
St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparison, 1999, 1523–7.
5. Murrell GA, Rapeport WG. Clinical pharmacokinetics of allopurinol.
Clin Pharmacokinet 1986;11:343–53.
6. Nordmann R, Ribiere C, Rouach H. Ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation
and oxidative stress in extrahepatic tissues. Alcohol Alcohol
1990;25:231–7.
7. Kaneko K, Fujimori S, Ishizuka I, Akaoka I. Effects of ethanol on
metabolism of the hypourecemic agents allopurinol and benzbromarone. Clin Chim Acta
1990;193:181–6.