Clinical medicine profile
Cetirizine/menthol
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- [Cetirizine] Allergy to any component of the formulation and any other piperazines, severe arrhythmias, pheochromocytoma, history of stroke, high risk of haemorrhagic stroke, dihydroergotamine, MAOI, elevated intraocular pressure, severe hypertension, severe ischaemic heart disease, severe renal insufficiency, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, urinary retention, and glaucoma. [menthol] Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- Warnings Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to this product or any of its ingredients or to an antihistamine containing hydroxyzine.
- Ask a doctor before use if you have liver or kidney disease.
- Your doctor should determine if you need a different dose.
- Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you are taking tranquilizers or sedatives.
- When using this product drowsiness may occur avoid alcoholic drinks alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase drowsiness be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery Stop use and ask a doctor if an allergic reaction to this product occurs.
- Seek medical help right away.
- If pregnant or breast-feeding if breast-feeding: not recommended if pregnant: ask a health professional before use.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
- (1-800-222-1222)
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
Directions may be taken with or without water chew or crush tablets completely before swallowing children 2 to under 6 years of age Chew and swallow 1 tablet (2.5 mg) once daily; If needed, dose can be increased to a maximum of 2 tablets (5 mg) once daily or 1 tablet (2.5 mg) every 12 hours. Do not give more than 2 tablets (5 mg) in 24 hours. adults and children 6 years and over Chew and swallow 2 tablets (5 mg) or 4 tablets (10 mg) once daily depending upon severity of symptoms; do not take more than 4 tablets (10 mg) in 24 hours. adults 65 years and over Chew and swallow 2 tablets (5 mg) once daily; do not take more than 2 tablets (5 mg) in 24 hours. children under 2 years of age ask a doctor consumers with liver or kidney disease ask a doctor
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- Uses temporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies: runny nose sneezing itchy, watery eyes itching of the nose or throat Clinical selection for Cetirizine/menthol should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
- Class context: Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class).
- Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.
Adverse effects
- [From component Cetirizine] Anorexia
- increased appetite
- taste perversion
- dyspepsia
- gastritis
- stomatitis
- enlarged abdomen
- eructation
- flatulence
- constipa-tion
- rectal hemorrhage
- hemorrhoids.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
Combination product.
Read complete mechanism
Combination product. Component mechanism (Cetirizine): It acts by competing with histamine for H1-receptor sites on effector cells. Its marked polarity decreases distribution of the drug into the CNS, resulting in reduced potential for adverse CNS effects compared with some first generation antihistamines.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
[Cetirizine] [Cetirizine] Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist. [Pseudoephedrine] Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist. [menthol] Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
[Cetirizine] [Cetirizine] Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data. [Pseudoephedrine] Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data. [menthol] Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| CETRIPLUS | DAIMA BIASHARA / Wholesale Import | SYRUP 60ML | KES 26.88Daima Chemist price-list reference ↗ Source date not recorded · verify current price |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.