Montair LC: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects

What is Montair LC used for?

Montair LC is used to relieve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis in adults and adolescents aged 15 and over.

• Seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever), caused by pollen at certain times of the year
• Perennial (year-round) allergic rhinitis, caused by triggers such as house dust mites, mould or animal dander
• Allergy symptoms of the nose and eyes: sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, an itchy nose or throat, and itchy, watery eyes

How does Montair LC work?

Montair LC blocks two chemicals that the body releases during an allergic reaction. Levocetirizine blocks histamine at H1 receptors, which reduces sneezing, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes. Montelukast blocks cysteinyl leukotrienes at the CysLT1 receptor, which reduces swelling and congestion in the lining of the nose and airways. Together they act on two parts of the allergic reaction, but neither changes the underlying allergy.

What happens in your body after you take it

1. An allergen reaches the nose

   When someone with allergic rhinitis breathes in pollen, dust mite droppings or animal dander, immune cells in the lining of the nose, called mast cells, recognise it and release histamine and leukotrienes.

2. The allergy symptoms start

   Histamine makes nerves itch and small blood vessels leak, causing sneezing, a runny nose and watery eyes. Leukotrienes make the lining of the nose swell and produce mucus, causing a blocked nose, and draw in more inflammatory cells.

3. You swallow the tablet

   The tablet can be taken with or without food. Both medicines are absorbed from the gut: levocetirizine reaches its highest level in the blood in about an hour, and montelukast in about 3 to 4 hours.

4. Levocetirizine blocks histamine

   Levocetirizine attaches to H1 receptors on nerves and blood vessels, so histamine cannot act on them. Sneezing, itching and a runny nose usually ease, often within about an hour. It enters the brain less than older antihistamines, so it causes less drowsiness.

5. Montelukast blocks leukotrienes

   Montelukast attaches to CysLT1 receptors in the nose and airways, so leukotrienes cannot cause swelling and mucus. This mainly helps a blocked nose, and its benefit builds up with regular use.

6. Side effects come from the same actions

   Some levocetirizine still reaches the brain and can cause sleepiness, tiredness and a dry mouth. Montelukast also reaches the brain, and rarely people have mood or behaviour changes; how this happens is not well understood.

7. The body clears both medicines

   The liver breaks down montelukast, which leaves the body mainly in bile, with a half-life of about 3 to 6 hours. Levocetirizine leaves mostly unchanged in the urine, with a half-life of about 8 hours, so kidney disease can make it build up.

How to take Montair LC

Take Montair LC exactly as your doctor advises or as printed on the pack. Do not take more than one tablet a day or use it for longer than your doctor recommends.

• It is usually taken once a day, often in the evening. Take it at about the same time each day.
• It can be taken with or without food. Swallow the tablet whole with water.
• Do not take it together with other medicines that contain montelukast, levocetirizine, cetirizine or another antihistamine, including some cold and cough remedies. Check the labels of combination products.
• Montair LC does not relieve a sudden asthma attack. If you have asthma, keep using the inhalers your doctor has prescribed.
• If you miss a dose, skip it and take the next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for it.
• The Montair LC tablet is meant for adults and adolescents aged 15 and over. Products for children contain lower strengths and should be given only on a doctor's advice.
• Your doctor decides how long you need it. For seasonal allergy, this may be only during the pollen season.

Montair LC dosage: how to take it

Side effects of Montair LC

Many people take Montair LC with no or only mild side effects; sleepiness, tiredness, headache and dry mouth are the most common. Rarely, montelukast can cause mood or behaviour changes, so you and your family should know the warning signs. You can report side effects to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India helpline, 1800-180-3024.

Uncommon or mild

• Sleepiness or tiredness
• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Sore throat or cold-like symptoms
• Nausea, diarrhoea or stomach pain
• Mild skin rash

Montair LC side effects: common and serious

Who should be careful

Montair LC is not suitable for everyone. Tell your doctor before taking it if any of the following apply to you.

• Depression, anxiety or any other mental health condition, now or in the past. Mood and behaviour changes have been reported with montelukast in people with and without such a history
• Asthma: Montair LC does not relieve an asthma attack, and inhaled or oral steroids should not be stopped or reduced unless a doctor says so
• Asthma that gets worse with aspirin or other painkillers: you still need to avoid those painkillers
• Kidney disease: levocetirizine builds up when the kidneys work poorly, and the medicine is not suitable for people with severe kidney failure
• Severe liver disease
• Epilepsy or a history of fits
• An enlarged prostate, a spinal cord problem or another condition that makes it hard to pass urine
• Allergy to cetirizine, hydroxyzine or similar antihistamines
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: information is limited. Use it only if a doctor advises it
• Driving or using machines: it can make you sleepy or dizzy. Do not drive until you know how it affects you
• Allergy skin tests: antihistamines can affect the results, so tell the doctor; they are usually stopped a few days before the test
• Children: the Montair LC tablet is not meant for children under 15

Medicines and things that interact with Montair LC

Montair LC can interact with some medicines and with alcohol. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything you take, including cough, cold and allergy medicines bought without a prescription.

• Alcohol, sleeping pills, anxiety medicines, strong painkillers and other medicines that cause drowsiness: more sleepiness and slower reactions
• Other antihistamines, including cetirizine, chlorphenamine and those in cold remedies: more side effects such as sleepiness and dry mouth
• Phenobarbital, phenytoin and rifampicin: can lower the level of montelukast, so it may work less well
• Gemfibrozil (for cholesterol): can raise the level of montelukast
• Ritonavir (an HIV medicine) and theophylline (for asthma): can raise the level of the antihistamine part

If someone takes too much

Storage

Store below 30°C in a dry place, away from direct light, and out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date.

Regulatory status in India

Prescription medicine sold in India. The two-ingredient combination of montelukast and levocetirizine is not on the CDSCO list of prohibited medicines and was not among the 156 fixed-dose combinations banned in August 2024. Some other combinations containing these ingredients are banned, for example levocetirizine with montelukast and acebrophylline (2016), etofylline with theophylline and montelukast (2024), and levocetirizine with phenylephrine (2024). In 2020 the US FDA added a boxed warning about serious mood and behaviour side effects of montelukast.

Other brands with the same medicine

Other brands with the same two ingredients at the same strength (montelukast 10 mg + levocetirizine 5 mg) include Montek LC and Telekast-L. They work the same way. Montair LC Kid products contain lower strengths for children, and Montair 10 contains montelukast only. Check the label for the ingredients and strength, and do not switch without asking your doctor or pharmacist.

Other strengths and forms

Montair is a Cipla range with several products. Cipla's leaflet lists Montair 10 mg tablets and 4 mg and 5 mg chewable tablets, which contain only montelukast. Montair LC combines montelukast with levocetirizine, and other combinations exist, such as Montair FX with fexofenadine. They are different medicines, so check the label of the one you have.

Common questions