title: Understanding the pharmacology of headache.
abstract: Migraine continues to be the most common of the debilitating headaches. Existing acute headache treatments are not always satisfactory, and current research is focussed on targeting neuroinflammatory pathways with drugs that are devoid of vascular action. Current prophylactic drugs are largely centred around antihypertensive, anticonvulsant and antidepressant drugs, although not all drugs of all sub-classes in these categories are effective. Selective agents which target the neuroinflammatory process including targets such as calcitonin gene related peptide, and PANNEXIN 1 may have clinical utility.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology, Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia; Pain Management Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia; Pain and Anaesthesia Research Clinic, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. Electronic address: paul.rolan@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Paul Edward
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Rolan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide