The DXM and Grapefruit Juice FAQ v0.4c Written by BlkFury It's fairly well known now that grapefruit juice affects a DXM trip (and other drugs, namely Seldane and caffeine). Much research is being put into this subject at the moment. As for this FAQ, it is not a formal FAQ, only a brief introduction of grapefruit juice and DXM. It most likely contains errors, so don't hold anything you read herein to be true. This is a new subject with very little information: a lot of ideas presented within are only theoretical. Remember, if you decide to try this combination, do so at your own risk. I will NOT hold any responsibility for your actions, nor will anybody else. If you have any information you'd like to submit to me, in the way of corrections/additions/comments, please contact me at blkfury@hotmail.com, or via IRC (EFNet's #DXM under the nick BlkFury). Side note Due to the lack of enthusiasm of this subject, I will not update this FAQ any more until I start getting some trip reports in. It is hard to write about something like this when you have so few trip reports to work with. Many people think this subject is a lie and a waste of time, others will swear that this combination does in fact enhance a DXM trip. Either way you think, send in a trip report of what happened to you when you tried this combo, and if it was different from all of your other trips. Perhaps I should do like the DXM Zine did and offer pure DXM to a randomly-drawn person who submits an article to the zine. But, if I did this, wouldn't it show just a lack of enthusiasm anyway toward this subject, only using the DXM as "bait" to get articles in? If you would like to help this drug scene out in the least bit, you'd send in those articles! As of now, all of my work on this FAQ is 100% halted. Only after I get some reports in will I continue working any more. Q: So how does this work? A: The Grapefruit juice acts on DXM by inhibiting the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes of the 3A and 1A groups. DXM is converted to DXO by this same enzyme, only with different groups. Therefore, with enough grapefruit juice, your overall trip should be better. Not only have I tried this and agree that it makes the DXM more potential, but others also agree. Gravol, author of the DXM Zine, has said himself that grapefruit juice in fact increases the potency of the DXM. Q: So I take less DXM? A: Simply answered, only if you want to. The same amount of DXM can still be taken, only with better effects. If you would rather take less DXM, by all means, go ahead. You'll save yourself some money, and still get near the same effects you're used to at a little higher of a dose. Q: What does grapefruit juice taste like? A: Many say DXM tastes utterly vile (I've heard of one person puking because of it), others love the taste. The taste itself is comparable to a bland orange juice with a bitter aftertaste. Q: You mentioned caffeine earlier. How does grapefruit juice affect that? A: Grapefruit juice contains a chemical called Naringin. Naringin inhibits the enzyme that destroys caffeine, but not theophylline. It also prolongs the time that caffeine is active by about 30%. We all get a little sleepy on DXM, and since you have the grapefruit juice in your body, why not go ahead and take a little caffeine to stay awake? Q: What about Seldane? A: Large amounts of grapefruit juice and seldane have been proven fatal. No deaths have been reported because of an interaction between grapefruit juice and DXM. Q: Are there any other products like grapefruit juice? A: Citrus fruits other than grapefruit may have similar interactions, but there are few studies regarding these. A list of P450 inhibiting drugs can be sought at http://www.frognet.net/dxm/appendices.html#toc.15.1. From this page: "Not all of them will inhibit all of the P450 enzymes, but it's safe to say that a substantial number of these will interact with DXM. Generally speaking, inhibitors of P450-2D6 include anti- depressants (both SSRIs and tricyclics, and possibly MAO inhibitors), antiparasitics (especially antimalarials), antihistamines (both pre- scription and over-the-counter), neuroleptics, beta blockers (drugs for high blood pressure), and antineoplastics (anti-cancer drugs). Methadone is a P450-2D6 inhibitor, and it is likely that many alkaloids, especially of plant origin, may be mild to moderate P450-2D6 inhibitors." Be sure to take note of chlorpheniramine (Coricidin) and diphenhydramine (Dramamine). Both have med-high potency. Q: Are there any other ways to increase DXM's potency? A: Having an empty stomach before you take DXM helps a lot. The type of DXM you are taking (capsule, syrup, etc.) can also play a roll in how the DXM will set in. Pure is the best way to do DXM, then syrup, then pills/capsules. Q: When do I drink the grapefruit juice? A: You should drink the juice up to 10 hours before taking the DXM and 2 hours after. This way, the grapefruit juice will be as strong as possible whenever the DXM sets in. Basically, drink a cup of grapefruit juice every hour, then about 2 hours before taking the DXM, drink 3 every hour. When you actually take the DXM, try and get as much grapefruit juice as possible into your system. After you have all the DXM in you, drink 1 or 2 more glasses over the next two hours. After that, you can put the stuff down, since most people don't necessarily enjoy the taste of grapefruit juice. :) Just remember, more bitter = more better! Q: Have there been any bad reports of this combination? A: I've only heard one report of a bad trip so far. This may or may not be because of the combination of DXM and grapefruit juice, but grapefruit juice WAS used in combination with DXM by the user. The user says that this will be his last time to ever do DXM again, and he has been a fairly avid user. Note, however, that other prescription drugs were being taken around the time that this user reported having this "bad trip." Q: Where can I go to seek more information? A: The best place to start looking for information is via the web. William White has written a great DXM FAQ (www.frognet.net/dxm) which deserves reading; this would probably be your best bet for getting information about DXM in general. http://www.psa.org.au/qld/grapefruit.htm contains some information about grapefruits, its chemicals and interactions with other drugs, etc. #DXM on EFNet is also a great place to go to seek information.