Clinical Trial: Effects and Interactions of Liquorice and Grapefruit on Glucocorticoid Replacement Therapy in Addison's Disease

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional




Official Title: Use of Liquorice and Grapefruit in Patients With Addison's Disease

Brief Summary: Addison's disease is a rare disease, wherein the adrenals can not produce sufficient steroid hormones (cortisol and aldosterone). Patients with Addison's disease report impaired subjective health status, and they have increased all-cause mortality. Conventional therapy is by oral replacement of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid hormones, but this strategy imperfectly mimic the diurnal cortisol variations, and render the patients both over- and under-treated. Anecdotally, some patients with adrenal insufficiency may benefit from the use of various nutritional compounds. We hypothesised that liquorice and grapefruit altered the metabolism and absorption of cortisone acetate.