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The antimigraine drug ergotamine is endowed with antihyperalgesic activity
Author(s) -
Ghelardini C.,
Galeotti N.,
Donaldson S.,
Bartolini A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1573(1998)12:1+<s10::aid-ptr234>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - ergotamine , drug , pharmacology , medicine , migraine , chemistry , anesthesia
The potential analgesic activity of ergotamine was investigated in a model of hyperalgesia induced by morphine withdrawal. Ergotamine, at a dose of 0.01 mg/kg s.c., did not increase the pain threshold in control mice but was able, 30 min after injection, to completely prevent the hyperalgesia induced by morphine withdrawal. At a dose 10 times lower, ergotamine did not produce any effect. Abstinent mice did not show any impairment of motor coordination as revealed by the rota rod test. These results indicate that ergotamine exerts an antihyperalgesic effect in laboratory animals at a dose comparable to that effective in aborting migraine attacks in humans. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.