What are the active ingredients in Zyrtec and Claritin? Specifically, I’m looking for the precise chemical names (e.g., not just “antihistamine” but the actual compound name), and the amount of each active ingredient typically found in a standard adult dose of each medication. Furthermore, are there different formulations of Zyrtec and Claritin that use different active ingredients, and if so, what are they?

Answer

Zyrtec’s active ingredient is cetirizine hydrochloride.

Claritin’s active ingredient is loratadine.