Albenza (Albendazole)
Albendazole, marketed as Albenza, Eskazole, and Zentel, is a member of the benzimidazole compounds used as a drug indicated for the treatment of a variety of worm infestations. Although this use is widespread in the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved albendazole for this indication. It is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline.
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Zyrtec (Cetirizine)
Cetirizine hydrochloride, an antihistamine, is a major metabolite of hydroxyzine, and a racemic selective H1 receptor inverse agonist used in the treatment of allergies, hay fever, angioedema, and urticaria. The structural similarity of cetirizine to hydroxyzine, and its derivation from piperazine, attribute similar adverse reactions and properties to other piperazine derivatives.
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Loratadine (Claritin)
Loratadine is an antihistamine drug used to treat allergies, and marketed for its non-sedating properties. It is marketed by Schering-Plough and Shionogi in Japan under several trade names such as Claritin, Claritin-D, Claritine, Clarityn, Clarityne or Fristamin depending on the market; by Cadila as Lorfast; by Lek as Lomilan or Flonidan; by Sandoz as Symphoral; by Ranbaxy as Roletra; by Pliva as Rinolan; by Teva as AllergyX; by Wyeth as Alavert; and by Pharma International as Tidilor. It is also available as a generic. In a version marketed as Claritin-D or Clarinase, loratadine is combined with pseudoephedrine, a decongestant; this makes it somewhat useful for colds as well as allergies, but adds potential side-effects of insomnia, nervousness, and anxiety.
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Desloratadine (NeoClarityn, Claramax, Clarinex, Aerius)
Desloratadine is a drug used to treat allergies. It is marketed under several trade names such as NeoClarityn, Claramax, Clarinex and Aerius. It is an active metabolite of loratadine, which is also on the market.
Available forms
Desloratadine is available as tablets (including orally disintegrating and extended release) and as syrup.
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Atarax (Hydroxyzine, Vistaril)
Hydroxyzine is a first-generation antihistamine of the piperazine class that is an H1 receptor antagonist. It was synthesized in the early 1950s and the medicinal formulation of this drug was announced in the 4 August 1956 issue of Chemistry Week. It is used primarily as an antihistamine for the treatment of itches and irritations, an antiemetic for the reduction of nausea, as a weak analgesic by itself and as an opioid potentiator, and as an anxiolytic for the treatment of anxiety.
Its most common formulation is 25 mg small white, capsule-shaped and scored tablets of the hydrochloride salt made by UCB in the Netherlands. In the United States, a nearly-spherical dark green tablet is the most-commonly encountered version of it, with 25 and 100 mg capsules being available as well as a series of color-coded round tablets from Mallinkrodt (25 mg white, 50 mg orange, 100 mg blue). Hydroxyzine preparations usually require a doctor’s prescription, as do other potent antihistamines in many countries; whereas some countries allow hydroxyzine and all or most other antihistamines to be sold over the counter.
Even though it is an effective sedative, hypnotic, and tranquilizer, it shares almost none of the abuse, dependence, addiction, and toxicity potential of other drugs used for the same range of therapeutic reasons. The drug is available in two formulations, the pamoate and the dihydrochloride or hydrochloride salts. Vistaril, Equipose, Masmoran, Paxistil, and Vistaril Pamoate are preparations of the pamoate salt. Atarax, Alamon, Aterax, Durrax, Tran-Q, Orgatrax, Quiess, Vistaril Parenteral, and Tranquizine are hydroxyzine hydrochloride.
Other drugs related to hydroxyzine are cyclizine, buclizine, and meclizine and they share all or most of the benefits, indications, contraindications, cautions, and side effects of hydroxyzine. The second-generation antihistamine cetirizine is one of the metabolites of hydroxyzine.
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Allegra (Fexofenadine, Telfast, Fastofen, Tilfur)
Fexofenadine (Allegra, Telfast, Fastofen, Tilfur) is an antihistamine drug used in the treatment of hayfever and similar allergy symptoms. It was developed as a successor of and alternative to terfenadine (brand names include Triludan and Seldane), an antihistamine with potentially serious contraindications. Fexofenadine, like other second and third-generation antihistamines, does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier, and so causes less drowsiness than first-generation histamine-receptor antagonists. It works by being an antagonist to the H1 receptor.
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Allergy – Signs and symptoms
Many allergens such as dust or pollen are airborne particles. In these cases, symptoms arise in areas in contact with air, such as eyes, nose and lungs. For instance, allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, causes irritation of the nose, sneezing, and itching and redness of the eyes. Inhaled allergens can also lead to asthmatic symptoms, caused by narrowing of the airways (bronchoconstriction) and increased production of mucus in the lungs, shortness of breath (dyspnea), coughing and wheezing.
Aside from these ambient allergens, allergic reactions can result from foods, insect stings, and reactions to medications like aspirin and antibiotics such as penicillin. Symptoms of food allergy include abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin, and swelling of the skin during hives. Food allergies rarely cause respiratory (asthmatic) reactions, or rhinitis. Insect stings, antibiotics, and certain medicines produce a systemic allergic response that is also called anaphylaxis; multiple organ systems can be affected, including the digestive system, the respiratory system, and the circulatory system. Depending of the rate of severity, it can cause cutaneous reactions, bronchoconstriction, edema, hypotension, coma, and even death. This type of reaction can be triggered suddenly, or the onset can be delayed. The severity of this type of allergic response often requires injections of epinephrine, sometimes through a device known as the EpiPen or Twinject auto-injector. The nature of anaphylaxis is such that the reaction can seem to be subsiding, but may recur throughout a prolonged period of time.
Substances that come into contact with the skin, such as latex, are also common causes of allergic reactions, known as contact dermatitis or eczema. Skin allergies frequently cause rashes, or swelling and inflammation within the skin, in what is known as a “wheal and flare” reaction characteristic of hives and angioedema.
Allergies
Allergy is a disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma, food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees.
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