The active ingredient bilastine, which required a prescription in Germany until March 2021, has long been used successfully against allergies in other countries: “In Asia and Australia, the drug has been available without a prescription for over 10 years, so there is a lot of data on its effectiveness and security,” explained Prof. Dr. Ralph Mösges, ear, nose and throat doctor and allergist from Cologne at a press event of the pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis Germany, which launched an over-the-counter preparation with 20 mg bilastine per tablet at the beginning of the year. The active ingredient is approved for the treatment of hay fever and hives (urticaria) in adults and adolescents aged twelve and over. The recommended dose is one tablet a day.
Well tolerated and quickly effective
According to the manufacturer, the tablets work within 30 to 60 minutes and relieve allergy symptoms for 24 hours. One-year studies have shown that the effect does not diminish even with long-term use. The drug is also very well tolerated: Typical side effects such as tiredness and drowsiness, which often occur with older antihistamines, hardly ever occur with bilastine. “Studies have even shown that bilastine makes you less tired and sleepy than a placebo,” said Mösges.
Take allergy tablets as a preventive measure
The expert generally recommends taking anti-allergic medication as a preventive measure: “Allergy sufferers often tend to only take medication when it is absolutely necessary due to severe symptoms. But then the allergic inflammatory reaction is usually already fully developed and it is difficult for any drug to bring this excessive reaction under control again,” says the allergist. That’s why he advises taking antihistamines regularly in the morning before breakfast with a glass of water at the beginning of the pollen season. He cites the “400-degree mark” as a good point in time: from February 1st, the maximum daily temperatures will be added up for this. When 400 degrees Celsius is reached, the first early bloomers, such as the birch, usually become active.