The therapeutic potential of novel anti-migraine acute therapies.
BACKGROUND
Migraine is a highly disabling neurovascular disorder. 'The complex and multifactorial properties of migraine pathogenesis provide the opportunity to identify new therapeutic targets from a wide range of receptors.


METHODS
In this editorial, the authors focus on future pharmacological interventions for acute migraine including: 5-HT receptors and their agonists, calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors and their antagonists, PAC1 receptors and their antagonists, glutamate receptors and some of their antagonists as well as transient receptor potential channels and their antagonists. The authors also discuss preventative treatments for migraine that are currently in development.


CONCLUSIONS
Future pharmaceutical research that looks at the well-known mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of migraine should aim to overcome the existing limitations of each pharmacological class and their side effects. There has lately been particular interest in the role of glutamate receptors, particularly metabotropic glutamate receptors, in the pathophysiology of migraine. These receptors may be potentially viable drug targets for migraine in the future.
Sapienza University, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine , Rome , Italy paolo.martelletti@uniroma1.it.
Donata
D
Sabato
Luana
L
Lionetto
Paolo
P
Martelletti
D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
migraine; new therapies; pathophysiological targets; receptor agonists; receptor antagonists, receptors