Does the perscription drug, Claritin-D (24hr) contain any of the
following:
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI)?
Ephedrine?
Psuedoepherdrine?
Phenylpropanolamine?

I am considering taking Xenadrine RFA-1 (sold at GNC and the like) as
a exercise/diet enhancement, but it says not to take it if you are
taking certain allergy medicines... what would the consequences be?

Thank you!

One Claritin-D 24 Hour Extended Release Tablet contains 10 milligrams
of loratadine (an antihistamine) and 240 milligrams of pseudoephedrine
sulfate (a decongestant.)

Pseudoephedrine sulfate is classified as an indirect sympathomimetic
amine. Sympathomimetic drugs produce effects resembling those
resulting from stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, such as
effects following the injection of epinephrine or adrenaline.

RxList Internet Drug Index: Loratadine and Pseudoephedrine
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/loratd.htm

Xenadrine RFA contains ephedra, a sympathomimetic stimulant that
should not be taken with drugs such as Claritin-D. However, there is a
newer formulation of Xenadrine which is ephedra-free. More information
on Xenadrine EFX may be found here:

Body Building for You: Xenadrine
http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/xenadrine/xenadrine-ephedrine-free.htm
http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/xenadrine/xenadrine-efx-review.htm

The combination of pseudoephedrine (in Claritin-D) and ephedra (in
Xenadrine RFA) can be very dangerous, even fatal. Possible
consequences could include heart arrhythmias, seizures, and stroke.
Here are a few sites where you can learn more about the effects of
ephedra:

Holistic Online: Study Links Ephedra To Deadly Effects
http://www.holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h_ephedra_risks.htm

The Herb Specialist: Ephedra -- Friend or Foe?
http://www.theherbspecialist.com/save/ephedra.html

Supplement Quality: Government Will Study Ephedra Risks
http://www.supplementquality.com/news/NIH_ephedra_0206.html

2 Step Weight Loss: Diet Pills That Kill
http://2stepweightloss.com/Articles/diet-pills.htm

Weitz & Luxenberg: PPA/Ephedra
http://www.weitzlux.com/practice_area/ppa_faq.asp

Healthlink: Hidden Dangers in Ephedra Products 
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/956623955.html

Many products which are sold as "dietary supplements," even if they
are advertised as "herbal" or "natural," function as drugs. You should
always check with your physician before taking such products; serious
side effects can occur if you combine certain drugs. I commend you for
noticing the label information on Xenadrine which alerted you to the
possibility of an interaction with pseudoephedrine.

If you wish to take both an anti-allergy medicine and a
nonprescription weight control product, you could ask your physician
to prescribe an antihistamine which does not contain a decongestant
ingredient (pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine are examples of
decongestants that are sometimes part of anti-allergy formulations;
these ingredients can be present in both prescription and
nonprescription products.) Or you may want to investigate the
Xenadrine formula which contains no ephedra. In any case, it is always
best to consult a medical professional before taking diet and exercise
supplements.

Thank you for asking an important question. If anything in my answer
is not clear, or if any of the links do not function, please do not
hesitate to ask for clarification.

Best wishes,
pinkfreud

---

Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 24 Sep 2002 17:25 PDT

Thank you very much for the five-star rating. It is great to be
appreciated!

Most prescription allergy medications that have a "D" on the end
contain pseudoephedrine (such as Claritin-D, Allegra-D, and Zyrtec-D.)
The versions of these brands that do not have the "D" (Claritin,
Allegra, Zyrtec) typically contain only an antihistamine, with no
pseudoephedrine.

You'll find quite a bit of useful information about prescription
antihistamines here:

Prescription Antihistamine Database
http://www.coreynahman.com/ura.html

Your remark about pseudoephedrine meaning "false" or "fake" ephedrine
is well thought out, and is technically accurate, since
pseudoephedrine is not chemically identical to ephedrine.
Unfortunately, it has the same effects on heart rate and blood
pressure that "real" ephedrine has. To take them together has a
combination effect that can be the equivalent of an overdosage. These
drugs are not precisely the same thing, but they act upon the body in
the same way. To give a rather far-fetched analogy, it's as if a
person decided to avoid getting drunk by having one glass of wine, one
can of beer, and a shot of vodka. While these drinks are not
identical, taking them all at once is just as bad as taking too much
of any one of them.

~pinkfreud

Pinkfreud,
Great answer!  Thank you so much.  This information was very helpful
and complete.

Just out of curiosity did you happen to see any allergy/decongestant
medicines that don't have Psuedoephedrine in it?  Also, if memory
serves me right, "psuedo" is taken from Greek and I think it means
fake, or false.  So it doesn't seem to make sense why one couldn't
take ephedrine if they're already taking fake ephedrine, if you follow
my logic???  Granted, I'm not a doctor, it was just a random thought. 
I'm curious for your opinion, you seem to be a great researcher.