title: Dihydroergotamine in acute herpes simplex infections.
abstract: The effect of the subcutaneous administration of 0.5 mL of dihydroergotamine mesylate (1 mg/mL) compared with that of 0.5 mL placebo on the course of an individual episode of herpes simplex infection in patients, who reported at least two other outbreaks in the previous 12 months, was examined by means of a double-blind randomized trial. Thirty-seven patients were entered into the trial. The dihydroergotamine-treated group experienced a shorter duration of the over-all attack until healed skin reappeared, with a shorter duration of both pain and oedema, than did the placebo-treated group. The relatively small number of patients, and the fact that testing in an animal model showed no effect of dihydroergotamine on herpes simplex, suggests that these results need to be treated with caution.
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Steven
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004087:Dihydroergotamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D004087:Dihydroergotamine