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Agomelatine: The Cinderella of migraine pharmacotherapy in pediatrics?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2024

Zohreh Esam
Affiliation:
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
Zahra Nazari Taloki*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Zahra Nazari Taloki; Email: zahra_nazari_taloki@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Type
Letter to the Editor
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

Dear Editor

With great interest, we have read the unique research paper entitled “Successful agomelatine monotherapy for an adolescent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid migraine.”Reference Naguy and Alamiri 1 Respectfully, we want to extend the results of this valuable and pioneering research to the probable therapeutic potential of Agomelatine in children’s migraine.

There is considerable evidence suggesting the melatonergic system and the safe nutraceutical/clinical agent Melatonin play an un-ignorable role in the pathogenesis and management of migraine, respectively. Melatonin has even a confirmed position in prophylaxis and treatment of migraine in pediatrics.Reference Gelfand, Ross, Irwin, Greene, Qubty and Allen 2 Considering the vasodilation as well as inflammation, as the most discussed mechanisms of migraine, it is not a serendipitous effect from Melatonin as a vasoconstrictor.

In the same direction, it has been demonstrated that drugs that act on Melatonin receptors, such as the modern antidepressant Agomelatine, can affect migraine, as well.Reference Farzin, Kheiltash, Tafakhori, Nakhjiri, Sabet and Nayeri 3 Aside from its effects through the melatonergic system, its antagonistic activity on Serotonin 5-HT2C receptors cannot be underestimated, because since 1993 it has been shown that the neurotransmitter Serotonin is able to induce endothelium-dependent vasodilation via the 5-HT2C receptors.Reference Morecroft and MacLean 4

Although it has not been considered yet, regarding the numerous published researches which are emphasizing the safety and efficacy of Agomelatine in children and adolescents with different neurological disorders,Reference Savino, Polito, Marsala, Ventriglio, Di Salvatore, De Stefano, Valenzano, Marinaccio, Bellomo, Cibelli, Monda, Monda, Messina, Polito, Carotenuto and Messina 5 it arises to mind that this Melatonin receptor agonist deserves more attention and appraisal as an efficient novel treatment of migraine in pediatrics. Your journal with the above-mentioned contribution is the pioneer.

Author contribution

Investigation: z.e., z.n.t.; Project administration: z.e., z.n.t.; Supervision: z.e., z.n.t.; Writing – original draft: z.e., z.n.t.; Writing – review & editing: z.e.; Conceptualization: z.n.t.; Validation: z.n.t.

References

Naguy, A, Alamiri, B. Successful agomelatine monotherapy for an adolescent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid migraine. CNS Spectr. 2022;27(2):134135. doi: 10.1017/S1092852920001923.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gelfand, AA, Ross, AC, Irwin, SL, Greene, KA, Qubty, WF, Allen, IE. Melatonin for Acute Treatment of Migraine in Children and Adolescents: A Pilot Randomized Trial. Headache. 2020;60(8):17121721. doi: 10.1111/head.13934.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Farzin, K, Kheiltash, A, Tafakhori, A, Nakhjiri, NE, Sabet, MS, Nayeri, ND. The effectiveness of agomelatine on headache severity and frequency in episodic migraine without aura; a parallel randomized controlled trial study. BMC Neurol. 2024;24(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s12883-023-03516-9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morecroft, I, MacLean, MR. 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors mediating vasoconstriction and vasodilation in perinatal and adult rabbit small pulmonary arteries. Br J Pharmacol. 1998;125(1):6978. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0702055.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Savino, R, Polito, AN, Marsala, G, Ventriglio, A, Di Salvatore, M, De Stefano, MI, Valenzano, A, Marinaccio, L, Bellomo, A, Cibelli, G, Monda, M, Monda, V, Messina, A, Polito, R, Carotenuto, M, Messina, G. Agomelatine: A Potential Multitarget Compound for Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Brain Sci. 2023;13(5):734. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13050734.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed