What is the best over the counter allergy medicine

Things to consider when choosing an antihistamine

If you own allergies, you own a range of choices for OTC medications.

These include brand-name antihistamines such as:

1. Zyrtec
2. Chlor-Trimeton
3. Benadryl
4. Claritin
5. Allegra

If you’re not certain which medication might be best for you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. And if you take other medications to treat allergy symptoms, make certain that the athletic ingredients are not the same or in the same drug class as the athletic ingredient in the antihistamine you desire to take. You don’t desire to take too much of any specific drug. To assist prevent this, always check with your doctor or pharmacist.

If you’d love to store for antihistamines, you’ll discover a range of products here.

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¹These NDAs are not true switches since these products were marketed as prescription products without an approved NDA prior to being approved for OTC marketing under an NDA.

²These NDAs are not true switches since the conditions of use were not marketed as a prescription product under an approved NDA prior to being approved for marketing OTC.

The common antihistamine loratadine—the athletic ingredient in over-the-counter medications such as Claritin, Alerclear, and Alavert—makes some species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria susceptible to antibiotics in lab experiments (ACS Infect Dis. 2019, DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00096).

Loratadine alone also breaks up bacterial biofilms, tight-knit microbial communities that form on implants and catheters and make resistance worse. The results offer a new route to developing drugs for these hard-to-treat infections, the researchers say.

To manage with the rise of these stubborn bacterial strains, clinicians often combine diverse antibiotics or prescribe them along with drugs that assist prevent bacterial enzymes from degrading antibiotics.

But for now, there are no drugs that increase bacterial susceptibility to existing antibiotics. “It’s totally unexpected to see an antihistamine compound own this effect,” says chemist Steven D.

Townsend of Vanderbilt University, who was not involved in the study. He adds that if the findings hold up in clinical studies, loratadine’s antibacterial activities “could be really powerful.”

Study authors Meghan S. Blackledge and Heather B.

Miller of High Point University were on the hunt for existing drugs that could assist counter antibiotic resistance. Final year, they reported that one class of antidepressants increased the sensitivity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to antibiotics, but the high doses required would be toxic to patients. Then, while preparing to give an organic chemistry lecture, Blackledge stumbled across the structure of loratadine—which looked surprisingly similar to the antidepressants they had studied.

The researchers cultured varieties of S. aureus and S.

epidermidis, including standard laboratory strains and ones isolated from hospital-acquired or community-acquired infections. They treated the bacteria with a common antibiotic, oxacillin, in the presence of loratadine and desloratadine, a bioactive metabolite of the drug. When treated with loratadine, S. aureusstrains were 8 to 500 times as sensitive to the antibiotic. Desloratadine did not affect S. aureus susceptibility, and neither compound had any effect on S. epidermidis.

Antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation are regulated by similar genetic mechanisms. Biofilms enhance drug resistance and are the main cause of catheter-associated infections.

When the researchers tested the effects of applying the antihistamines to bacteria in culture, they found that loratadine blocked biofilm formation and broke up preformed biofilms of every S. aureus strains and of some S. epidermidis strains tested.

The team then sought loratadine’s targets. Both microbes carry a gene named stk whose protein triggers the synthesis of antibiotic-blocking enzymes. Mutant S. aureus strains that lack stk were not made more sensitive to oxacillin by loratadine, suggesting the gene’s product could be loratadine’s target.

“There aren’t any compounds in the clinic that disarm antibiotic-resistance mechanisms, and there’s nothing that targets the biofilm machinery,” says medicinal chemist Robert W.

Huigens of the University of Florida, who was not involved with the study. The new work offers a route to possibly repurposing an existing compound and also reveals a new bacterial target, “allowing us to come up with additional molecules that may be therapeutic agents.”

Further studies in animal models will be needed to see if loratadine is effective against infections. Moreover, the authors add that loratadine—taken as a pill for allergies—is converted into desloratadine in the body, and the latter was ineffective in their experiments.

“Loratadine could own applications as a topical ointment on burns or wounds,” where it wouldn’t be metabolized, Blackledge says.

Chemical & Engineering News

ISSN 0009-2347

Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society

First-generation antihistamine brands

First-generation OTC oral antihistamines, including diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine, are the oldest group. They are sedating, which means they’re likely to make you drowsy after you use them. They also don’t final as endless in your system, so they require more frequent dosing than the newer generations. First-generation brands include Benadryl and Chlor-Trimeton.

Benadryl

The first-generation antihistamine diphenhydramine is the main athletic ingredient in Benadryl.

Benadryl helps relieve runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and nose or throat itching. These symptoms may be due to hay fever, other upper respiratory allergies, or the common freezing. Benadryl can also be used to treat hives and to reduce redness and itching.

It comes in a tablet, a chewable tablet, a tablet that dissolves in your mouth, a capsule, a liquid-filled capsule, and a liquid. Benadryl also comes in topical forms, such as creams, gels, and sprays, to treat allergic skin conditions such as hives.

Other common OTC brands that include the antihistamine diphenhydramine include:

1. Benadryl-D Allergy Plus Sinus
2. Unisom
3. Banophen
4. Robitussin Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Freezing + Flu Nighttime
5. Siladryl
6. Sudafed PE Day/Night Sinus Congestion

Side effects of first-generation antihistamines

Some of the more common side effects of first-generation antihistamines can include:

1. dry mouth, nose, and throat
2. drowsiness
3. headache

Some side effects that are not as common include:

1. constipation
2. loss of appetite
3. dizziness
4. hyperactivity, especially in children
5. chest congestion
6. vomiting
7. muscle weakness
8. nausea
9. nervousness

Some serious side effects can include:

1. vision problems
2. trouble urinating or pain with urinating

All of these side effects are more common in older people.

Chlor-Trimeton

Chlorpheniramine is the main athletic ingredient in Chlor-Trimeton.

It helps relieve runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and nose and throat itching from hay fever. It also helps relieve other respiratory allergies.

It comes in an immediate-release tablet, an extended-release tablet, a chewable tablet, a lozenge, a capsule, and a liquid.

Other common brands with chlorpheniramine as a main athletic ingredient include:

1. Alka-Seltzer Plus Freezing & Cough Liquid Gels
2. Chlorphen-12
3. Aller-Chlor
4. Allerest Maximum Strength
5. Comtrex

Warnings

If you own an enlarged prostate that makes it hard for you to urinate, you should talk to your doctor before using first-generation antihistamines.

These drugs can make your urination problem worse. You should also talk to your doctor before using these drugs if you own any of these health concerns:

If you take other drugs that can make you drowsy, such as sedatives or tranquilizers, talk to your doctor before using first-generation antihistamines. You should also avoid drinking alcohol with any antihistamine because it can increase the side effect of drowsiness.

Second- and third-generation antihistamine brands

The newer second-generation and third-generation OTC oral antihistamines were developed to target their action on more specific receptors.

This helps decrease side effects, including drowsiness. Also, these drugs work longer in your body so you need fewer doses.

Claritin

Loratadine is the main athletic ingredient in Claritin. It helps relieve runny nose, sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and itching of the nose or throat due to hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies. Claritin can also be used to treat hives. It comes in a tablet, a tablet that dissolves in your mouth, a chewable tablet, a liquid-filled capsule, and a syrup.

Loratadine is also the main athletic ingredient in these other OTC brands:

1. Alavert
2. Alavert-D
3. Claritin-D
4. Wal-itin

Warnings

1. Avoid taking Zyrtec with alcohol.

   Although cetirizine causes less drowsiness than a first-generation antihistamine, it can still make you drowsy. Drinking alcohol while you take it can increase this drowsiness.

2. Talk to your doctor before using Zyrtec if you own liver or kidney disease. Liver and kidney disease can both affect how your body processes and removes cetirizine.
3. Talk to your doctor if you use the bronchodilator theophylline. Zyrtec can interact with this drug and increase your risk of side effects.
4. You should also talk to your doctor before using Zyrtec if you own asthma.

   In rare cases, cetirizine has been shown to cause bronchospasms.

Allegra

Fexofenadine is the main athletic ingredient in Allegra. It helps relieve runny nose, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, and itching of the nose or throat due to hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies. Allegra can also be used to treat hives and skin rash. It comes in a tablet, a tablet that dissolves in your mouth, a gel-coated capsule, and a liquid.

Side effects

Some common side effects of Zyrtec can include:

1. headache
2. drowsiness
3. stomach pain

Serious side effects can include trouble breathing or swallowing.

Side effects

Some of the common side effects of Claritin can include:

Serious side effects of Claritin can include allergic reactions.

Symptoms can include:

1. trouble breathing or swallowing
2. itching
3. rash
4. swelling of your face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes
5. hoarseness

Side effects

Some of the common side effects of Allegra can include:

1. pain in your arms, legs, or back
2. vomiting
3. headache
4. cough
5. diarrhea
6. pain during menstrual periods
7. dizziness
8. upset stomach

Serious side effects of Allegra can include allergic reaction. Symptoms include:

1. itching
2. rash
3. hives
4. trouble breathing or swallowing
5. swelling of your face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes

Warnings

1. Talk to your doctor before using Claritin if you own liver or kidney disease.

   

   Liver and kidney disease can both affect how your body processes and removes loratadine. This can cause more of the drug to stay in your body and increase your risk of side effects.

2. You should also talk to your doctor before using Claritin if you own asthma. In rare cases, loratadine has been shown to cause bronchospasms.

Zyrtec

Cetirizine is the main athletic ingredient in Zyrtec.

It helps relieve runny nose, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, and nose or throat itching from hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies. Zyrtec can also be used to assist relieve redness and itching due to hives. Zyrtec comes in a tablet, a chewable tablet, a tablet that dissolves in your mouth, a liquid-filled capsule, and a syrup.

Other common OTC brands with cetirizine as the main athletic ingredient include:

1. Zyrtec-D
2. Alleroff
3. Aller-Tec
4. Wal Zyr-D
5. Cetiri-D

Warnings

1. Avoid drinking fruit juice while taking Allegra.

   Fruit juice can also decrease the quantity of Allegra that your body absorbs. This can make the drug less effective.

2. Talk to your doctor before you use Allegra if you take the antifungal ketoconazole, the antibiotics erythromycin or rifampin, or any antacids. These drugs can every interact with Allegra to either increase your risk of side effects or decrease the effectiveness of Allegra.
3. If you own kidney disease, talk to your doctor before using Allegra. Kidney disease interferes with your body’s removal of Allegra. This can lead to an increased risk of side effects.

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