Also indexed as: Accolate
Zafirlukast is used in the prevention and treatment of mild to severe asthma, seasonal allergic asthma, exercise-induced
asthma, and aspirin-induced asthma. It belongs
to a class of drugs called leukotriene-receptor antagonists (LTRA).
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.
Avoid: Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability—Avoid these supplements
when taking this medication since the supplement may decrease the absorption and/or activity
of the medication in the body. |
Food
|
|
Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this
medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results. |
Willow*
|
| Depletion or interference |
None known
|
| Side effect reduction/prevention |
None known
|
| Supportive 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 Herbs
Willow
(Salix alba)
Willow bark contains salicin, a substance similar to aspirin. Research has shown that aspirin significantly
increases blood levels of zafirlukast,1 which would increase the likelihood of side
effects from zafirlukast. The same thing could theoretically happen if people took willow bark
along with zafirlukast, although no studies have investigated this specific interaction.
People may want to avoid combining willow bark with zafirlukast due to the possibility of
increased side effects.
Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds
Food
The ingestion of food along with zafirlukast can reduce the overall absorption of the drug by
about 40%.2 Therefore, zafirlukast should be taken one hour before or two hours
after a meal.
References:1. Kelloway JS. Zafirlukast: the first leukotriene-receptor antagonist
approved for the treatment of asthma. Ann Pharmacother 1997;31(9):1012–21.
2. Kelloway JS. Zafirlukast: the first leukotriene-receptor antagonist
approved for the treatment of asthma. Ann Pharmacother 1997;31(9):1012–21.