title: The effect of sumatriptan on cephalic arteries: A 3T MR-angiography study in healthy volunteers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore a possible differential effect of sumatriptan on extracerebral versus cerebral arteries, we examined the superficial temporal (STA), middle meningeal (MMA), extracranial internal carotid (ICAextra), intracranial internal carotid (ICAintra), middle cerebral (MCA) and basilar arteries (BA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The arterial circumferences were recorded blindly using high-resolution magnetic resonance angiography before and after subcutaneous sumatriptan injection (6 mg) in 18 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significant constrictions of MMA (16.5%), STA (16.4%) and ICAextra (15.2%) ( P  ≤ 0.001). Smaller, but statistically significant, constrictions were seen in MCA (5.5%) and BA (2.1%) ( P  ≤ 0.012). ICAintra change 1.8% was not significant ( P  = 0.179). The constriction of cerebral arteries was significantly smaller than the constriction of extracerebral arteries ( P  < 0.000001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sumatriptan constricts extracerebral arteries more than cerebral arteries. We suggest that sumatriptan may exert its anti-migraine action outside of the blood-brain barrier.
authors.affiliation: Danish Headache Center and Department of Neurology, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Faisal Mohammad
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Mohammad Sohail
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Asghar
authors.forename: Julie W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ravneberg
authors.forename: Patrick J H
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: de Koning
authors.forename: Henrik B W
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Jes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: Messoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D011859:Radiography; D058825:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D058825:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; D018170:Sumatriptan
keywords: MR angiography; Sumatriptan; arteries; blood–brain barrier; migraine; vasoconstriction