Can you take Zyrtec in the morning and drink 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 whether it is safe to take Zyrtec in the morning and drink alcohol at night. We will also discuss what research studies indicate and what you should do if you have accidentally paired these two together.
Can you take Zyrtec in the morning and drink at night?
You can take Zyrtec (Cetirizine) in the morning and have a drink or two at night as long as there is at least a 12-hour time gap in between. However, Zyrtec is an antihistamine that can stay active for almost an entire day and it is not generally recommended to drink alcohol while taking this medication (1).
Generally, a healthy individual can enjoy a drink with an adequate time gap after taking Zyrtec. However, the risk of side effects increases when you have an underlying health condition affecting your liver or your body generally or if you’re taking other medications.
What does research suggest?
There is limited research on the effects of alcohol on Cetirizine – the active drug present in Zyrtec, a second-generation antihistamine. The information available so far is not conclusive.
A research study included 36 healthy volunteers to test the effects of Cetirizine and alcohol administration in the body (2). The study found that alcohol impaired psychomotor performance like it usually does.
However, Cetirizine didn’t show any significant differences from a placebo. Furthermore, there was no adverse interaction found between Cetirizine and alcohol, and they didn’t affect each other’s blood levels (2).
Another research review focused on second-generation H1-antihistamines and their interactions with food and alcohol (3). The study did not find much and highlighted the need for more research into how second-generation antihistamines interact with food and alcohol.
The study suggested that these interactions may significantly impact the effectiveness of the treatment, so proper understanding is crucial (3).
What are the potential interactions between Zyrtec and alcohol?
Zyrtec may interact with alcohol in some individuals. Zyrtec is often considered a non-sedative antihistamine, but compared to some other antihistamines in its class, it can still have a bit more of a sedative effect.
When you add alcohol into the mix, which is also known to cause drowsiness and affect your ability to stay alert, the sedative effects can become more pronounced. Additionally, people can react differently to this combination.
Factors like individual tolerance, metabolism, and overall health play a role. For instance, individuals with liver damage may be more vulnerable to these interactions because the liver is responsible for breaking down both Zyrtec and alcohol (1,4).
If the liver is already compromised, this combination can potentially lead to more disturbing outcomes.
What to do if you have accidentally taken Zyrtec with alcohol?
If you have accidentally taken Zyrtec with alcohol and feel unusual, seek medical attention right away. Generally, having one glass of alcohol along with Zyrtec is unlikely to have a major impact on your health other than causing increased sedation.
However, it’s important to remember that people are different, and how your body reacts might not be the same as someone else’s.
However, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to more damage and may lead to unpredictable outcomes – as different people can have different pre-existing factors affecting their health.
If you’re concerned about how you’re feeling after accidentally taking Zyrtec and alcohol, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare professional for guidance.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed the effects of taking Zyrtec in the morning and drinking alcohol at night. We have also discussed some research reviews and talked about the potential interactions between alcohol and Zyrtec.
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References
1.-
Naqvi A, Gerriets V. Cetirizine. 2023 Jan 30. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31747183. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549776
2.-
Doms M, Vanhulle G, Baelde Y, Coulie P, Dupont P, Rihoux JP. Lack of potentiation by cetirizine of alcohol-induced psychomotor disturbances. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1988;34(6):619-23. doi: 10.1007/BF00615227. PMID: 2971550. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2971550/
3.-
Paśko P, Rodacki T, Domagała-Rodacka R, Palimonka K, Marcinkowska M, Owczarek D. Second generation H1 – antihistamines interaction with food and alcohol-A systematic review. Biomed Pharmacother. 2017 Sep;93:27-39. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.06.008. Epub 2017 Jun 13. PMID: 28622592. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28622592/
4.-
Patel R, Mueller M. Alcoholic Liver Disease. 2023 Jul 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31536239. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546632
