Can you take Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
In this article, we will discuss taking Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night. We will also discuss the potential benefits and risks of doing so and what one should do after accidentally taking two antihistamines together.
Can you take Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night?
You can take Claritin (Loratadine) in the morning and Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) at night, if advised by your healthcare provider – who knows your symptoms and has a sound knowledge of your medical history.
Both Claritin and Benadryl are antihistamines, belonging to the class of second and first-generation antihistamines respectively (1,2). It is general clinical practice not to take two antihistamines together or on the same day without having an adequate time gap in between.
Claritin, being a second-generation antihistamine, lasts for an entire day – which is why it is taken as a 10mg once-daily dose (1). It is strictly recommended to stick to the 10mg dose and not take more within 24 hours unless advised otherwise by a healthcare professional.
Benadryl also works like Claritin and blocks histamine-1 receptors to manage symptoms associated with allergies. However, it is sedative in nature – unlike Claritin and its fellow second-generation antihistamines.
Potential benefits of taking Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night
Taking Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night can help manage severe allergy symptoms while helping one sleep at night. Sometimes, allergies can become quite severe and cause intense symptoms like extreme itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing.
In such serious cases, taking both Claritin and Benadryl can be considered – but only under the supervision of a doctor. Low-dose Benadryl can also be used as a sleep aid while taking Claritin in the morning for managing allergy symptoms (3).
However, two antihistamines should not be taken together or on the same day if one is enough to help your symptoms. If it isn’t, you should seek medical attention.
Potential risks of taking Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night
It is generally not recommended to take Claritin and Benadryl concomitantly because of the potential risks associated with the use of any two antihistamines together.
Both of these medications work to block histamines, which are chemicals in your body responsible for allergy symptoms. Using two antihistamines simultaneously can lead to an excess of this blocking action and might not provide much extra benefit for your allergies.
Claritin is known to stay active in your body for a full day, so if you take it in the morning and then take Benadryl at night, there’s a possibility of an interaction. This interaction can result in additive side effects like (4):
- Nausea
- Dry eyes
- Xerostomia or dry mouth
- Constipation
- Difficulty in urination
These side effects can vary and may depend on the leftover concentration of Claritin in your body when you take Benadryl at night. The two medications should never be taken at the same time.
What to do if one antihistamine is not enough to help your symptoms?
If you think one antihistamine, either Claritin or Benadryl, is not enough to help your symptoms effectively, reach out to your healthcare provider. If your doctor believes that taking two antihistamines can help your symptoms, he/she will guide you accordingly.
If the two medications have to be taken together, there should be at least a 12-hour time gap between their administration. This means that if you’re taking Claritin at 10 am, you should not take Benadryl before 10 pm.
The doses should also be adjusted to reduce the chances of additive side effects. Remember, safe and effective use of medicines is the best way to achieve a safe and effective therapeutic response.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed the use of Claritin in the morning and Benadryl at night. We have also discussed the potential benefits and risks of doing so and what one should do after accidentally taking two antihistamines together.
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References
1.-
Sidhu G, Akhondi H. Loratadine. 2023 Mar 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31194418. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542278
2.-
Sicari V, Zabbo CP. Diphenhydramine. 2022 Jul 11. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30252266. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526010
3.-
Culpepper L, Wingertzahn MA. Over-the-Counter Agents for the Treatment of Occasional Disturbed Sleep or Transient Insomnia: A Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2015 Dec 31;17(6):10.4088/PCC.15r01798. doi: 10.4088/PCC.15r01798. PMID: 27057416; PMCID: PMC4805417. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4805417/
4.-
Borowy CS, Mukherji P. Antihistamine Toxicity. 2023 Apr 29. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29493943. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482318
