Ergotamine And Ergotamine

Ergot alkaloids remained specific drugs of choice for the acute treatment of migraine for number of decades. Although these drugs are widely used, but their efficacy has been poorly demonstrated [41,42]. This is due to methodological flaws in the clinical trials, which, since 1991 have been improved and are now standardized by the IHS (International Headache Society Committee on Clinical Trials in Migraine, 1991). Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine are vasoconstrictors and they also inhibit the neurogenic plasma extravasation in the rat [43]. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine display affinity for a large number of receptors, which include α-adrenoceptors, dopamine receptors and 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT1F and 5-HT2 receptors. This wide affinity