Common side effects include abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, nausea, dizziness,

headache, and swelling.[5] Serious side effects may include heart disease, stroke, kidney

problems, and stomach ulceration.[8][5] Use is not recommended in the third trimester of
pregnancy.[5] It is likely safe during breastfeeding.[8] It is believed to work by decreasing the
production of prostaglandin.[9] It blocks both cycloxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cycloxygenase-
2 (COX-2).[5]

Loratadine, sold under the brand name Claritin among others, is a medication used to treat allergies.
[3] This includes allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and hives.[3] It is also available in combination with
pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, known as loratadine/pseudoephedrine.[3] It is taken by mouth.
[3]

Common side effects include sleepiness, dry mouth, and headache.[3] Serious side effects are rare
and include allergic reactions, seizures, and liver problems.[4] Use during pregnancy appears to be
safe but has not been well studied.[5] It is not recommended in children less than two years old.[4] It
is in the second-generation antihistamine family of medication.[3]

Loratadine was patented in 1980 and came to market in 1988.[6] It is on the World Health
Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[7] Loratadine is available as a generic medication.[3] The
wholesale cost in the developing world is about US$0.01 to 0.06 per dose as of 2015.[8] In the
United States, it is available over the counter.[3] In 2017, it was the 59th most commonly prescribed
medication in the United States, with more than twelve million prescriptions.[9][10]