A certain medication used to treat migraine headaches acts by blocking pain receptors in the brain. When a person takes the medication within one hour after ingesting grapefruit or grapefruit juice, however, the effectiveness of the medication is significantly diminished. Researchers have determined that the grapefruit contains a compound that alters the shape of the pain receptors, with the result that the medication can no longer bind with them completely.
Which of the following conclusions could be most properly drawn from the information given above?
A certain medication used to treat migraine headaches acts by blocking pain receptors in the brain. When a person takes the medication within one hour after ingesting grapefruit or grapefruit juice, however, the effectiveness of the medication is significantly diminished. Researchers have determined that the grapefruit contains a compound that alters the shape of the pain receptors, with the result that the medication can no longer bind with them completely.
Which of the following conclusions could be most properly drawn from the information given above?
The correct option is D The medication is fully effective only when it properly binds with its target pain receptors.
For questions asking us to draw a conclusion, we need to base the conclusion only on the information presented; we cannot add any new information or assumptions. In addition, remember that we are not required to use all of the information presented in the premises, though the more information we can include, the better (as long as we don't take it too far!).
(A) The passage says that grapefruit or grapefruit juice ingested within an hour will "significantly" diminish the effectiveness of the medication. This does not mean that grapefruit or grapefruit juice ingested more than an hour before the medication is ingested will havenoeffect on the medication; it may have a mild effect.
(B) The passage speaks only of taking the medication after ingesting grapefruit; it says nothing about the effects of eating grapefruit after taking the medication.
(C) The passage implies that the pain receptors that the specific medication works on are the pain receptors that are affected by grapefruit. This does not mean that these are the only pain receptors in the brain.
(D) CORRECT. The passage says that the medication has been shown to be less effective when taken after grapefruit consumption. Furthermore, grapefruit has been shown to affect the binding of the medication to pain receptors. It can be concluded that effective binding is needed to enable the effectiveness of the medication.
(E) This choice is out of scope. We are given no information about possible research or design of new migraine medications.
For questions asking us to draw a conclusion, we need to base the conclusion only on the information presented; we cannot add any new information or assumptions. In addition, remember that we are not required to use all of the information presented in the premises, though the more information we can include, the better (as long as we don't take it too far!).
(A) The passage says that grapefruit or grapefruit juice ingested within an hour will "significantly" diminish the effectiveness of the medication. This does not mean that grapefruit or grapefruit juice ingested more than an hour before the medication is ingested will havenoeffect on the medication; it may have a mild effect.
(B) The passage speaks only of taking the medication after ingesting grapefruit; it says nothing about the effects of eating grapefruit after taking the medication.
(C) The passage implies that the pain receptors that the specific medication works on are the pain receptors that are affected by grapefruit. This does not mean that these are the only pain receptors in the brain.
(D) CORRECT. The passage says that the medication has been shown to be less effective when taken after grapefruit consumption. Furthermore, grapefruit has been shown to affect the binding of the medication to pain receptors. It can be concluded that effective binding is needed to enable the effectiveness of the medication.
(E) This choice is out of scope. We are given no information about possible research or design of new migraine medications.
