Does cetirizine contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each cetirizine product label against four data sources: DailyMed (FDA Structured Product Labels), the European Medicines Agency centrally-authorised medicines database, the Plogsted curated gluten-free drug list, and the 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric pharmacy NDC analysis. Inactive ingredients are scanned against a 146-entry red-flag dictionary covering wheat, barley, rye, malt, source-ambiguous starches, and FDA gluten-free attestation phrases. Of 12 product labels we cross-checked, 1 list a gluten-derived ingredient outright. Generics from different manufacturers can differ — check which manufacturer's version your pharmacy dispensed before assuming any fill is safe.

Can different manufacturers' generic versions of cetirizine have different gluten status?

Yes. Generics in the United States must use the same active ingredient as the brand, but they are not required to use the same inactive ingredients. Two generics of cetirizine from different manufacturers can use entirely different starch sources, binders, and fillers. A pharmacy may also switch which manufacturer it dispenses between fills without notifying you. Each manufacturer-specific entry below corresponds to a separately-filed product label.

Last verified May 17, 2026 · 12 product labels screened

Is cetirizine gluten-free?

Some formulations contain gluten. Of 12 product labels we cross-checked, 1 list a gluten-derived ingredient outright. Generics from different manufacturers can differ — check which manufacturer's version your pharmacy dispensed before assuming any fill is safe.

Drug context

About cetirizine

Cetirizine is a second-generation antihistamine for allergies, sold under brand names including Zyrtec.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of cetirizine use the same active ingredient, but they aren't required to use the same inactive ingredients. Your pharmacy may switch which manufacturer they dispense between fills, sometimes without telling you. The list below shows each manufacturer's product label as a separate entry, because that's the granularity that actually matters when you're celiac.

The labels

The 12 we checked

01

Padagis / Perrigo contains gluten

Mangione 2024 · levocetirizine dihydrochloride 2.5 mg/5 mL oral solution [Padagis / Perrigo] · label dated 2025-06-09

Gluten on the label: Manufacturer-declared gluten content (Matson et al. 2025 (peer-reviewed): the manufacturer of this NDC confirmed that the product contains gluten.)
View source label →
02

(manufacturer not listed) worth a call to confirm

Mangione 2024 · levocetirizine dihydrochloride 2.5 mg/5 mL oral solution (no confirmed-GF version found) · label dated 2025-06-09

Worth a call to the maker: No confirmed gluten-free formulation available
View source label →
03

Sportpharm LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [SPORTPHARM LLC] · label dated May 13, 2026

Inactive ingredients HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · STARCH, CORN · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
04

HyVee Inc nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · ALL DAY ALLERGY (CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, FILM COATED [HYVEE INC] · label dated May 13, 2026

Inactive ingredients FD&C BLUE NO. 1 ALUMINUM LAKE · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLYDEXTROSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · STARCH, CORN · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIACETIN
View source label →
05

CVS PHARMACY, INC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · ALLERGY RELIEF (CETIRIZINE HCL) CAPSULE, LIQUID FILLED [CVS PHARMACY, INC] · label dated May 13, 2026

Inactive ingredients BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE · GELATIN · GLYCERIN · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 400 · SODIUM HYDROXIDE · SORBITAN · SORBITOL · WATER
View source label →
06

Kroger Company nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · CHILDRENS DYE FREE ALLERGY RELIEF (CETIRIZINE HCL) SOLUTION [KROGER COMPANY] · label dated May 06, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS CITRIC ACID · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SODIUM BENZOATE · SORBITOL SOLUTION · SUCRALOSE · WATER
View source label →
07

ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORP. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · CHILDRENS CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE (CETIRIZINE HCL) SOLUTION [ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORP.] · label dated May 06, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS CITRIC ACID · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SODIUM BENZOATE · SORBITOL · SUCRALOSE · WATER
View source label →
08

Rising Pharma Holdings, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [RISING PHARMA HOLDINGS, INC.] · label dated May 04, 2026

Inactive ingredients hypromelloses · lactose · magnesium stearate · polyethylene glycol · povidone · starch, corn · titanium dioxide
View source label →
09

Kroger Company nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · CHILDRENS DYE FREE ALLERGY RELIEF (CETIRIZINE HCL) SOLUTION [KROGER COMPANY] · label dated May 04, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS CITRIC ACID · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SODIUM BENZOATE · SORBITOL SOLUTION · SUCRALOSE · WATER
View source label →
10

Meijer Distribution Inc nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · CETIRIZINE HCL CAPSULE [MEIJER DISTRIBUTION INC] · label dated May 01, 2026

Inactive ingredients GELATIN · GLYCERIN · MANNITOL · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · SODIUM HYDROXIDE · SORBITAN · SORBITOL · WATER
View source label →
11

Kenvue Brands LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · ZYRTEC (CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, CHEWABLE [KENVUE BRANDS LLC] · label dated Apr 30, 2026

Inactive ingredients BETADEX · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MANNITOL · STARCH, CORN · SUCRALOSE
View source label →
12

L. Perrigo Company nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · GOOD SENSE CHILDRENS ALL DAY ALLERGY (CETIRIZINE HCL) SOLUTION [L. PERRIGO COMPANY] · label dated Apr 30, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS CITRIC ACID · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SODIUM BENZOATE · SORBITOL SOLUTION · SUCRALOSE · WATER
View source label →

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Background

What “gluten in a medication” actually means

Gluten enters drugs through their excipients — the inactive ingredients used to bind, coat, fill, or stabilize the dose. The main concern is wheat starch as a filler. Source-ambiguous starches (plain “starch”, pregelatinized starch, sodium starch glycolate, modified starch) get flagged for verification because their botanical origin isn't always disclosed on the label.

The 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric NDC analysis (689 NDCs across the top 100 pediatric medications) found 1.5% contained gluten outright; another 25.7% couldn't be confirmed either way. Liquid and oral-suspension formulations carry disproportionate risk because wheat starch is a common thickener. Full methodology →

Keep checking

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Important. This page is informational. Drug labels can change without notice; a manufacturer attestation is point-in-time, not a warranty. If you have celiac disease and your pharmacy switches manufacturers, re-screen the new label before taking the dispensed product. For a definitive answer, call the manufacturer's medical-information line with the NDC code from your prescription bottle.