Can you take Sudafed 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 the use of Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine) in the morning and Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) at night. We will also discuss some potential benefits and risks of this combination.
Can you take Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night?
Yes, you can take Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine) in the morning and Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) at night. These medications are frequently used together to manage various cold, flu, and allergy symptoms.
Sudafed is a nasal decongestant that narrows the blood vessels in your nasal passages, reducing swelling and congestion (1). This allows you to breathe more easily and can help alleviate symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose (1).
Benadryl, on the other hand, is a first-generation sedative antihistamine that helps with allergy symptoms, like sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, etc and can help you sleep (2).
Taking Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night is a common approach for managing these symptoms, and you can also take them at the same time.
In fact, Pseudoephedrine and Diphenhydramine – the active ingredients in Sudafed and Benadryl respectively – are available in various formulations in a combined form.
Other combinations of an antihistamine and a nasal decongestant are also easily available, which give the same therapeutic benefits – NyQuil severe, which contains Doxylamine and Phenylephrine among other active ingredients (3).
However, it’s important to make sure that you don’t combine similar OTC formulations, like combining Benadryl with NyQuil or Sudafed with DayQuil. This can increase the risk of side effects, because of the overlapping active ingredients.
Potential benefits of taking Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night
Taking Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night can offer several benefits when managing cold and flu symptoms (4).
As discussed earlier, Sudafed helps with nasal congestion and other symptoms like a runny or stuffy nose. It contains ingredients that can reduce the swelling of blood vessels in your nasal passages, allowing you to breathe more easily during the day.
Since Sudafed can have stimulant effects and might interfere with sleep, it’s wise to take it in the morning to avoid potential sleep disturbances (1).
On the other hand, Benadryl can help you sleep better. It has a sedative effect that can relieve allergy symptoms, including sneezing, itching, and a runny nose (2). By taking it at night, it can promote restful sleep without the risk of daytime drowsiness.
The timing of these medications is indeed beneficial because it addresses your symptoms effectively while also considering their potential effects on sleep.
This approach can help you feel more comfortable during the day and ensure a good night’s sleep, which is essential for a speedy recovery when dealing with cold and flu symptoms.
Potential risks of taking Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night
There aren’t any potential risks of taking Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night for healthy individuals, and these medications can also be taken at the same time without any side effects. However, people are different and can respond differently to medications.
Although these meds don’t interact with one another, they may cause side effects in people who are sensitive to either one or both of these medications.
For example, Sudafed can elevate blood pressure in some cases and it is a potential risk for people with hypertension or people who are at a higher risk of heart attacks (5).
This is why it’s important to discuss using these medications with a doctor or pharmacist if you have an underlying health condition. It is also important to seek medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction after taking any of the two medications.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed the use of Sudafed in the morning and Benadryl at night, and have talked about how this treatment approach can help manage various cold, flu, and allergy symptoms. We have also discussed some potential risks, which are important to discuss when a doctor.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
Głowacka K, Wiela-Hojeńska A. Pseudoephedrine-Benefits and Risks. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 13;22(10):5146. doi: 10.3390/ijms22105146. PMID: 34067981; PMCID: PMC8152226. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8152226/
2.-
Sicari V, Zabbo CP. Diphenhydramine. 2023 Jul 10. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30252266. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526010
3.-
LABEL: VICKS NYQUIL SEVERE COLD AND FLU- acetaminophen, dextromethorphan hydrobromide, doxylamine succinate, and phenylephrine hydrochloride solution. DailyMed [Internet]. Available from: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/getFile.cfm?setid=d1657403-b953-4db1-9a86-343e9e769a1a&type=pdf
4.-
De Sutter AI, Eriksson L, van Driel ML. Oral antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jan 21;1(1): CD004976. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004976.pub4. PMID: 35060618; PMCID: PMC8780136. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35060618/
5.-
Salerno SM, Jackson JL, Berbano EP. Effect of oral pseudoephedrine on blood pressure and heart rate: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2005 Aug 8-22;165(15):1686-94. doi: 10.1001/archinte.165.15.1686. PMID: 16087815. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16087815/
