Texa is cetirizine, a once-daily antihistamine for allergies. It treats hay fever, year-round allergic rhinitis, hives and allergic itching. It comes as a 10 mg tablet and a syrup for children, and it is available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
What is Texa Allergy?
The South African Medicine Price Registry lists the product as Texa, at Schedule 1 — available from a pharmacy without a prescription:
| Product | Form | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Texa | Tablet | Cetirizine dihydrochloride 10 mg |
| Texa | Syrup | Cetirizine dihydrochloride 1 mg/ml |
“Texa Allergy” is how the product is commonly marketed and searched; the register lists it simply as Texa.
One thing worth checking on your box: the same manufacturer also makes Texamer, which contains levocetirizine 5 mg — a related but different medicine. Levocetirizine is the active half of cetirizine, so 5 mg of one matches 10 mg of the other. They do the same job and should not be taken together, and the similar names make that an easy mistake.
Cetirizine is a second-generation antihistamine. It blocks H1 histamine receptors. Histamine, released by mast cells when the immune system reacts to something harmless, causes the swelling, itching, sneezing and mucus of an allergic reaction; blocking its receptors interrupts that.
Second-generation means it crosses into the brain far less readily than older antihistamines, so it causes much less drowsiness. Cetirizine is, however, the most sedating of the modern ones — noticeably more so than loratadine or fexofenadine. A meaningful minority of people feel sleepy on it, which is worth knowing before a working day.
It works within about an hour and lasts a full day.
What is Texa Allergy commonly used for?
- Hay fever and seasonal allergic rhinitis — sneezing, runny nose, nasal itching, itchy and watery eyes.
- Year-round allergic rhinitis, from dust mites, pets, mould or cockroach allergen.
- Hives (urticaria) and allergic itching.
- Itchy skin in allergic rashes and some eczema flares.
- Insect bite reactions.
- Allergic conjunctivitis.
- Mild allergic reactions, alongside — never instead of — proper emergency treatment for anything severe.
The syrup is for children, dosed by age and weight. That matters: many children’s cold remedies already contain an antihistamine, and adding a separate one is a common and avoidable doubling up. Check the ingredients of anything else you are giving.
Three practical limits:
It does not treat colds or flu. Those are viral. It may dry a runny nose slightly, but fever and body aches point away from allergy entirely.
It does little for a blocked nose. Antihistamines handle sneezing, itching and running well and congestion poorly. Persistent blockage responds better to a steroid nasal spray, which acts on the inflammation directly.
Regular beats reactive. For a predictable allergy season, taking it daily from the start works considerably better than waiting until symptoms have built.
How Texa Allergy fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Second-generation antihistamines | Cetirizine (Texa), Austell Cetirizine, levocetirizine, loratadine, fexofenadine | Once daily; much less sedating |
| First-generation antihistamines | Chlorphenamine (Rhineton), promethazine | Effective but markedly sedating |
| Steroid nasal sprays | Fluticasone, mometasone | Best for persistent nasal allergy, especially congestion |
| Decongestants | Pseudoephedrine, oxymetazoline | Blockage only; short-term; blood pressure cautions |
| Leukotriene blockers | Montelukast | Allergic rhinitis with asthma |
| Eye drops | Antihistamine or cromoglycate drops | Eye symptoms specifically |
For moderate or persistent allergic rhinitis, an antihistamine plus a steroid nasal spray generally works better than either alone. See the allergy, cold and flu medicines hub.
What to check before using Texa Allergy
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you:
- Have kidney disease or reduced kidney function. This is the main check — cetirizine is cleared by the kidneys and the dose usually needs reducing.
- Have liver disease or epilepsy.
- Have difficulty passing urine, an enlarged prostate, or a bladder problem.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Take sedating medicines — sleeping tablets, strong painkillers, some antidepressants — or drink alcohol regularly.
- Are already taking another antihistamine, including Texamer or one hidden inside a cold and flu remedy. Doubling up is common and adds drowsiness without adding benefit.
- Are elderly, where kidney function is often reduced without a diagnosis.
- Are buying for a child. Use the syrup at the dose for their age and weight; adult tablets are not suitable for young children.
Practical points:
- Take it once daily at the same time, with or without food. Many prefer the evening, so any drowsiness falls at night.
- Measure the syrup with the device supplied, not a kitchen spoon.
- Do not drive until you know how it affects you — cetirizine is the most sedating of the modern antihistamines.
- If you are due for allergy skin prick testing, antihistamines interfere with the results and usually need stopping several days beforehand. Ask before booking.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Common effects are drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, tiredness and occasionally stomach discomfort. In children, restlessness or irritability is sometimes seen instead of sedation.
Get emergency help immediately for signs of a severe allergic reaction — swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, widespread hives with faintness, or collapse. Anaphylaxis is treated with adrenaline. An antihistamine tablet is not adequate treatment for it, and taking one instead of calling for help costs time that matters.
Contact a doctor if:
- Symptoms are not controlled after a week or two of regular use.
- You need an antihistamine most days for months — a steroid nasal spray, allergy testing or immunotherapy may serve you better.
- Hives last more than six weeks, or come with joint pain, fever or weight loss.
- You have wheezing, chest tightness or breathlessness. Allergy and asthma frequently travel together, and asthma needs its own treatment.
- A child becomes unusually agitated, drowsy or unwell on it.
- You have kidney problems and have not had the dose checked.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Allergy, Cold & Flu Medicines guides
- Read: Austell Cetirizine used for
- Read: Rhineton used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Texa Allergy used for? Allergies — hay fever, year-round allergic rhinitis, hives, allergic itching and allergic eye symptoms. It contains cetirizine.
What are Texa Allergy tablets used for? The same conditions. The tablet contains cetirizine 10 mg, the standard adult dose.
What is Texa Allergy syrup used for? The same conditions in children, dosed by age and weight. Check that no cold remedy they are taking already contains an antihistamine.
Is Texa the same as Texamer? No. Texamer contains levocetirizine 5 mg — the active half of cetirizine. They do the same job and should not be taken together.
Will it make me drowsy? It can. Cetirizine is the most sedating of the modern antihistamines, though far less so than the older ones.
How quickly does it work? Usually within an hour, lasting about a day, so it is taken once daily.
Will it unblock my nose? Not much. For congestion, a steroid nasal spray usually works better.
Do I need a prescription? No. It is Schedule 1 and available from a pharmacy.