Nutraceutical preparations in childhood migraine prophylaxis: effects on headache outcomes including disability and behaviour Neurological Sciences, 04/16/2012

Esposito M et al. – Both nutraceutical treatments appear promising in paediatric migraine without aura, particularly because of their lack of side effects. However, the ginkgolide B preparation was significantly more effective in the medium–term (6 months).

• Migraine is common in children, but few specific drugs are available.
• Authros performed an open–label comparison of effects of two nutraceutical preparations (ginkgolide B vs. Griffonia simplicifolia extract) on outcomes in 374 school–age children (mean 10.7 years) with migraine without aura. Half of them received ginkgolide B; and half, Griffonia simplicifolia.
• Both preparations were given orally twice a day for 6 months.
• Patients kept a headache diary.
• Outcomes at the beginning and end of treatment were compared.
• Both preparations reduced all outcome measures after 6 months of treatment.
• However, reductions in headache frequency, duration and intensity, PedMIDAS score and behavioural reactions to headache were significantly greater in the ginkgolide B group.