[Suppressing effect of the serotonin 5HT1B/D receptor agonist rizatriptan on calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) concentration in migraine attacks]. / Hamujacy wplyw agonisty receptora serotoninowego 5HT1B/D rizatriptanu na stezenie peptydu zaleznego od genu kalcytoniny w napadzie migreny.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is one of the neuropeptides most abundant in the nervous tissue. Recent studies indicate that local cranial release of CGRP from the trigeminal nerve perivascular endings within arachnoidea plays an important role in the pathophysiology of migraine attacks and cluster headaches. Elevated CGRP levels in cranial venous blood (in the jugular vein) during an acute spontaneous migraine attack have been reported in rather few studies so far. Sumatriptan--a selective serotonin 5HT1B/D receptor agonist, highly effective in terminating migraine attacks, decreases the elevated CGRP level back to normal. The aim of our study was to determine the effect of rizatriptan (a drug from a new generation of triptans) on CGRP release in migraine attacks. In 45 patients suffering from migraine attacks with and without aura, plasma CGRP levels were assessed during an attack twice: before treatment and two hours after rizatriptan administration. In the group under study the plasma CGRP level before treatment was significantly higher than that measured two hours after rizatriptan administration. The decrease in CGRP levels was associated with subsidence of the migraine attack. There was no difference between migraine patients with and without aura. These results suggest that triptans as serotonin 5HT1B/D receptor agonists decrease CGRP plasma concentration in migraine attacks.

[GABApentin--new therapeutic possibilities]. / Gabapentyna--nowe mozliwosci terapeutyczne.

The paper is a review of current experience with use of gabapentin--a new antiepileptic drug--in neurologic conditions others than epilepsy. Mechanism of action of the drug is not fully elucidated yet. However it proved to be effective in therapy of chronic pain, especially in neuropathic pain, neuralgia, low back pain, reflex sympathetic dystrophy and erythromelalgia. Gabapentin is also effective in pain and spasticity in multiple sclerosis. Clinical studies of gabapentin in movement disorders, such as Parkinson disease, essential tremor and atrophic lateral sclerosis are discussed in the paper. It can be summarized that gabapentin is a valuable medication and the use thereof in neurology is not limited to epilepsy.