Can you crush or split nitisinone?
The answer belongs to the form, not the drug name. An extended-release tablet meters the dose out over hours; crushing it delivers the whole day at once. Match the product below to the one on your box — if yours is not listed, read its own label.
What each label says
The label allows it, in the terms quoted
“For patients who can swallow semi-solid foods, NITYR tablets can be crushed and mixed with applesauce.”
On the label for NITYR · DailyMed
The label allows it, in the terms quoted
“Preparation and Administration of NITYR Mixed in Applesauce For patients who can swallow semi-solid food, NITYR can be crushed and mixed with applesauce.”
On the label for NITYR · DailyMed
Frequently asked questions
Can you crush nitisinone?
It depends on which nitisinone product you have, which is why this page quotes each label separately rather than answering for the drug name. The labels we read permit it in the terms quoted above.
Why does it depend on the form and not the drug?
Because the restriction is built into the tablet, not the molecule. Extended-release and enteric-coated tablets carry a coating or matrix that meters the dose out over hours; crushing destroys it and delivers everything immediately. The same drug in an immediate-release tablet often has no such restriction, which is why a list of drug names cannot answer this question and a quoted label can.
What if I can't swallow the tablet?
Ask the prescriber or pharmacist rather than crushing it anyway — most drugs that cannot be crushed exist in another form (liquid, dispersible tablet, patch, or an immediate-release version taken more often) and switching is usually straightforward. Some labels explicitly describe an alternative, and where they do it is quoted above.
More on nitisinone
Quoted from FDA labels for reference, not medical advice. Never crush or split a tablet against its label to make it easier to take — ask the prescriber or pharmacist, because an alternative form usually exists.