Grapefruit juice could change how depression drug works

NCT ID NCT06726382

Completed Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Helsinki University Central Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested how grapefruit juice and the HIV drug cobicistat affect levels of esketamine, a depression treatment, in 12 healthy volunteers. Participants received esketamine as a nasal spray or oral liquid, with or without these substances. Researchers measured drug levels in the blood over 24 hours to see if these interactions matter.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Esketamine (nasal spray and oral solution), cobicistat, grapefruit juice
What this could lead to: If successful, this could help doctors understand how to adjust esketamine doses when taken with common substances like grapefruit juice, potentially making treatment more affordable or effective.
What could go wrong: This is a very small, early-phase study in healthy volunteers, not patients. It only measures drug levels, not actual treatment outcomes, so results may not apply to real-world depression care.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DRUG INTERACTIONS FOOD-DRUG INTERACTION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Department of Clinical Pharmacology

Helsinki, Finland

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