Dihydroergotamine – Effect, Application & Risks
Dihydroergotamine
Dihydroergotamine is a medicine used to treat migraines and cluster headaches . In the past, the drug was also prescribed to prevent migraine attacks. This area of application is no longer permitted today due to the side effects of the drug. Dihydroergotamine develops an inhibitory effect on certain receptors in the brain and can thus reduce the perception of pain .
What is dihydroergotamine?
Dihydroergotamine is known, inter alia, under the trade names Ergont®, Detemes®, Ergotam®, Agilan®, Verladyn® or Migrana®l. The active ingredient is used to treat migraines, cluster headaches and so-called hypotonic circulatory disorders.
Cluster headaches are also known as histamine headaches. This clinical picture is characterized by extremely severe pain around the eye , which usually occurs on one side . Hypotonic circulatory disorders are disorders of the organism whose functional impairments are caused by low blood pressure .
Dihydroergotamine is what is known as an ergot alkaloid . Ergot alkaloids are organic compounds and are mostly found in the ergot fungus Claviaceps purpurea. This fungus grows as a parasite on grasses and cereals such as rye. These compounds and individual partial sequences from them have been used as medicinal products since the 18th century. They are also part of certain chemically manufactured drugs . Dihydroergotamine is a prescription drug.
Pharmacological action
Dihydroergotamine is a substance that has an antagonistic effect. Antagonists occupy receptors in the brain and have an inhibitory effect on the signal transmission of certain stimuli to the associated cells .
Dihydroergotamine couples to the dopamine, serotonin, and adrenoceptors. The ergot alkaloid exerts an inhibitory effect on neuronal receptors. In this context, dihydroergotamine reduces the generation of pain, which is also caused by these receptors.
Adverse interactions can occur in the human organism if macrolide antibiotics are taken at the same time. Therefore, these active ingredients should not be administered together. Macrolide antibiotics are drugs that stop bacteria from growing and/or multiplying.
Medical Application & Use
The active ingredient dihydroergotamine is used in medicine to treat acute migraine attacks. In the past, the drug was also used to prevent those attacks. However, it is no longer approved as a prophylactic in the European Union.
The drug is also used in some countries to treat dementia . The alkaloid has also been used to treat low blood pressure and lymphatic insufficiency. In the case of the latter disease, the transport of the lymphatic fluid is restricted due to a disturbance in the circulation. As a result, severe changes to the skin and veins can occur.
According to a decision by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, the drug is no longer used to treat these diseases due to its unfavorable benefit-risk ratio.
Dihydroergotamine is administered orally in the form of tablets, drops or capsules. In addition, the drug can be taken nasally or orally with the help of inhalers . An injection is also possible. Studies have shown that the medical product can be better absorbed in the body in oral form than through inhalation.
Risks & side effects
Taking dihydroergotamine can lead to risks and side effects. Nausea , restlessness and headaches were frequently described. Other possible risks such as circulatory disorders or angina pectoris have been observed. But these are rather rare. Angina pectoris is a symptom that usually occurs as a result of a circulatory disorder in the coronary arteries .
Since the drug can cause life-threatening reactions, it was banned in January 2014 as a prophylactic for migraines and other diseases. Dihydroergotamine can cause fibrosis in certain organs . Fibrosis is a hardening of organ tissues due to collagen fibers. In the long term, this leads to massive limitations in the function of the affected organs and can be fatal.
In addition, poisoning of the body by the ergot alkaloid is possible. Dihydroergotamine must not be taken if triptans have been prescribed at the same time. Triptans are also used in the treatment of migraines and cluster headaches.
Hello! I am Lisa Newlon, and I am a medical writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I have a Master’s degree in Medicine, and my deep understanding of medical terminology, practices, and procedures has made me a trusted source of information in the medical world.