Desloratadine vs Loratadine: Everything You Need to Know


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Table of Contents
- What is Desloratadine Used for?
- Alternatives to Desloratadine: Other Antihistamine Options
- Desloratadine vs Loratadine
- Desloratadine vs Loratadine: A Comparison
- The Key Differences Between Loratadine and Desloratadine
- Summary
What is Desloratadine Used for?
Desloratadine is an antihistamine tablet used to treat symptoms of hay fever (allergic rhinitis).
It blocks the chemical histamine, which is released as your body responds and tries to protect itself from allergens such as pollen or dust mites. Desloratadine helps ward off irritating symptoms like:
- Sneezing
- Itchy skin or eyes
- Watery eyes
- Nasal congestion
We sell Desloratadine 5mg Tablets here at Chemist Click, as well as other hay fever and allergy medicines and nasal sprays.
Alternatives to Desloratadine: Other Antihistamine Options
The good news is that there are several alternatives to desloratadine if it's not quite for you.
We’ve selected and analysed the top treatments, so you can easily compare dosage, effectiveness, as well as side effects and cost. You can scroll down to the alternative of your choice to take a closer look at its features. In this section, we cover:
- Desloratadine vs Loratadine
- Desloratadine vs Claritin
- Desloratadine vs Fexofenadine
This should give you a clearer picture of the best hay fever treatment for you. If you’re still uncertain, our qualified pharmacists can help you with a treatment plan based on your specific requirements.
Desloratadine vs Loratadine
Deciding on the best hay fever treatment isn’t always easy. When it comes to desloratadine vs loratadine, you’ll want to base your decision on your personal needs and lifestyle.
Most people need to try out different hay fever medicines to find out what works best for them. If you’re wanting to understand more about these two antihistamines specifically, we’ve created a simple comparison chart so you can easily get an overview of how each works.
Desloratadine vs Loratadine: A Comparison
Feature | Desloratadine | Loratadine |
Type of treatment | Antihistamine (non-drowsy) | Antihistamine (non-drowsy) |
Used for |
Allergic rhinitis - hay fever Allergy - skin, dust mites, pets, food |
Allergic rhinitis - hay fever Allergy - skin, dust mites, pets, food, insect bites and stings |
Treats symptoms | Sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy skin, itchy red and watery eyes | Sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, nasal congestion, runny nose or postnasal drip, hives (itchy skin), itchy skin from insect bites, eczma, heat rash |
Active ingredient | Desloratadine 5mg | Loratadine 10mg |
Formula | Tablet, syrup | Tablet |
Dose | One tablet daily | One tablet daily |
Side Effects | Dry mouth, fatigue, headache | Headache, drowsiness, trouble sleeping, increase in appetite |
Over the counter or prescription | Prescription | Over the counter |
Available from Chemist Click | Yes | Yes |
The Key Differences Between Loratadine and Desloratadine
Active ingredient, formula and price are the key differences between Loratadine and Desloratadine.
Looking at the comparison table, we can see that Loratadine tablets active ingredient is 10mg of Loratadine. Desloratadine is the active metabolite of loratadine. This means it is the product when loratadine is broken down in the body.
Loratadine is available in tablet form only, while you can take Desloratadine in tablet or as a syrup, which is usually recommended for children.
The cheapest of the two is Loratadine. Desloratadine is considered one of the strongest antihistamines, and that, coupled with high manufacturing costs, means that it's a slightly higher price to buy.
Desloratadine is safe to use for treating hay fever in children from one year up, while Loratadine can be given to children two years and older.
Side effects for both antihistamines are typically mild, while delivering powerful protection against allergens.
Now, let’s look at other non-drowsy antihistamine alternatives to Desloratadine.
Desloratadine vs Clarityn
Clarityn is a well-known antihistamine brand. It is sometimes referred to as Clarityn Allergy, Clarityn Rapide Allergy, or Claritin.
Clarityn is the licenced branded medication for Loratadine. They both have the same active ingredient and work similarly; the difference is that Clarityn is branded and Loratadine is not.
This also means that although they’re taken in the same way and have the same side effects, Clarityn is more expensive to buy than Loratadine.
The comparison between Desloratadine vs Clarityn is basically the same as comparing Desloratadine vs Loratadine.
Desloratadine vs Cetirizine
Cetirizine is another popular hay fever medicine, classified as a non-drowsy antihistamine.
Both Desloratadine and Cetirizine are taken once a day and used to treat mild to moderate allergies, including hay fever, hives, and conjunctivitis. You should never exceed this dosage or combine antihistamines, unless you have been medically advised otherwise.
Sleepiness can be experienced by some people when taking either antihistamine, but cetirizine is likely to cause this more than Desloratadine.
Desloratadine vs Fexofenadine
Just like Desloratadine, Fexofenadine is also a non-drowsy antihistamine tablet. It’s available in two different strengths, 120mg and 180mg. The lower 120mg dose is typically prescribed for hay fever allergies, while long-lasting hives and itchy skin tend to be treated with the 180mg dose.
Desloratadine takes a little longer to work, while the effects of Fexofenadine can be felt within an hour. Both antihistamines work for around 24 hours.
People with liver issues may find Fexofenadine to be better tolerated because it has minimal liver metabolism, in contrast to Desloratadine, which is primarily metabolised in the liver.
Summary
In this guide, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about Desloratadine vs Loratadine, two popular antihistamines commonly used to treat allergies.
While both are effective at alleviating symptoms like hay fever and hives, there are key differences between them.
Desloratadine is the active metabolite of Loratadine, meaning it works faster and is often preferred for those who need more immediate relief. Loratadine, on the other hand, is typically available in a wider variety of formulas, including liquid forms for children.
In terms of side effects, both medications are generally non-sedating, but desloratadine is often considered to have a lower risk of drowsiness. Both medications can be used by adults and children, with the recommended age depending on the specific product and formula.
This guide was created to help you easily understand these differences and make an informed choice when deciding which antihistamine is best for your needs. You can purchase both Desloratadine and Loratadine from Chemist Click, where we offer a range of options tailored to your preferences.
Sources
- NHS.UK (n.d). Loratadine. Retrieved 26th February 2025, from: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/loratadine/
Whilst all of our content is written and reviewed by healthcare professionals, it is not intended to be substituted for or used as medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor.