Drug & supplement interaction

Wine + Cetirizine

Cetirizine brand names: Cetirizine, Zyrtec, Quzyttir.

Major Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Major

Cetirizine falls into 2 drug categories that Wine can interact with; the most serious is rated major. Concomitant use may increase sedative and other adverse effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodLikely
Interactions2
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Wine and Cetirizine

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Wine interacts with whole categories of medication. Cetirizine falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Wine in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Major).

Major

CNS DEPRESSANTS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Cetirizine

Cetirizine falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Wine interacts with.

Concomitant use may increase sedative and other adverse effects.
Concomitant use of alcohol with CNS depressants can increase sedative and other adverse effects, potentially through inhibition of the metabolism of certain CNS depressants.
Severity Major Likelihood Likely Evidence C

Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing with Zyrtec (cetirizine): even though it's considered one of the less drowsy antihistamines, it can still make some people feel sleepy or a little foggy. When you add wine, you're stacking two things that calm the brain on top of each other. That can leave you more drowsy, slower to react, and less steady on your feet than either one alone.

This is a well-recognized combination, so it's worth taking seriously, especially if you'll be driving or doing anything that needs you to be sharp. An occasional small glass with your dose may hit harder than you'd expect. If you regularly enjoy wine while taking cetirizine, have a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor about what's safe for you.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Fraser AG. Pharmacokinetic interactions between alcohol and other drugs. Clin Pharmacokinet 1997;33:79-90. PubMed
Moderate

CETIRIZINE (Zyrtec)

2 of 2
Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of CNS impairment.
Cetirizine may cause somnolence in some patients. There is some concern that taking cetirizine in conjunction with alcohol might reduce alertness and impair CNS performance.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: both wine and cetirizine (Zyrtec) can make you sleepy on their own, so putting them together may add up. Cetirizine is one of the newer, less drowsy antihistamines, but it still causes some drowsiness in certain people. Add a glass or two of wine and you could feel more tired, foggy, or slower to react than you'd expect from either one alone.

This is a theoretical, pharmacology-based caution rather than something proven in big studies, so it's not a reason to panic. Still, if you're driving or doing anything that needs sharp focus, be careful combining the two. Notice how your body reacts, go easy, and check with your pharmacist or doctor if you have questions.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zyrtec (Cetirizine) prescribing information. Pfizer Labs, Inc. New York, NY, October 2002. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2002/19835s15,%2020346s8lbl.pdf

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Wine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Wine has 655 major, 270 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cetirizine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 655 Moderate 270 No known interaction 1,905 (incl. Cetirizine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Wine

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Wine. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Wine or Cetirizine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Wine or Cetirizine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cetirizine

This page covers Wine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cetirizine page lists 100 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 78 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cetirizine page

“Cetirizine (Zyrtec) treats allergies, but even this newer antihistamine can make some people drowsy, and that weak spot is where most of its 100 documented supplement interactions land. Seventy-eight of the ingredients on this page add their own sedative pull on top of the drug's, and 7 of the 100 rate major, so treat this list with re…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cetirizine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Wine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 8 real supplement products containing Wine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Cetirizine too, on top of Wine — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Wine and Cetirizine Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Wine
Top half

#388 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cetirizine
Top 25%

#566 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Wine

What is Wine?

  • Social and relaxation use
  • Heart health (popular belief)
  • Antioxidant intake
  • Aiding digestion (traditional use)
  • Culinary flavoring

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes and is not a true dietary supplement or medicine. Despite popular claims about heart benefits, the alcohol it contains carries real health risks, and no amount of drinking can be recommended to improve health. If you drink, do so in moderation, and avoid alcohol entirely during pregnancy or if you have certain medical conditions.

Read the full Wine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cetirizine Injection

What Is Cetirizine Injection Used For?

Brand names: Cetirizine, Zyrtec, Quzyttir

Quzyttir (cetirizine injection) is approved to treat acute urticaria — a sudden outbreak of hives — in adults and in children 6 months of age and older. It is given by intravenous (IV) injection in a medically supervised setting.

Quzyttir is not recommended for children under 6 years of age who have impaired kidney or liver function.

See full Cetirizine Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wine

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Wine — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

655Major
270Moderate
0Minor
1,904No known interaction
655 Major 270 Moderate 1,904 No interaction
Major

655 interactions

Showing 60 of 655 major interactions — see all 655 on the Wine page.

Moderate

270 interactions

Showing 60 of 270 moderate interactions — see all 270 on the Wine page.

No interaction 1,904 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Wine against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,904 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Wine list.

See the full Wine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cetirizine, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Wine monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Cetirizine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Cetirizine, ranked by severity Cetirizine Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Wine and Cetirizine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Wine with Cetirizine?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Wine and Cetirizine?
Cetirizine belongs to more than one drug category, and Wine interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Wine and Cetirizine interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Cetirizine and Wine?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.