Desloratadine

Desloratadine is the orally active major metabolite of the nonsedating H-1- antihistamine loratadine. The drug had no adverse cardiovascular effects in various animal models or when administered at 9 times the recommended adult dosage for 10 days in vo lunteers. Therapeutic dosages had no effects on wakefulness or psychomotor performance in healthy volunteers. No clinically significant interactions have been reported between deslorata dine and drugs that inhibit the cytochrome P450 system, nor does the drug p otentiate the adverse psychomotor effects of alcohol. Oral desloratadine 5mg once daily for up to 4 weeks in patients with season al allergic rhinitis (SAR) significantly reduced nasal (including congestio n) and non-nasal symptoms and improved health-related quality of life compa red with placebo. Similar beneficial effects were observed in patients with SAR and coexisting asthma (in whom asthma symptoms and use of beta (2)-ago nists were reduced). Desloratadine 5mg once daily for 6 weeks significantly improved pruritus an ti reduced the number of hives compared with placebo in patients with chron ic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Sleep and day time performance also improved . Desloratadine was well tolerated in clinical trials and had an adverse even t profile similar to that of placebo in patients with SAR (with or without asthma) or CIU.