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Nutraceutical preparations in childhood migraine prophylaxis: effects on headache outcomes including disability and behaviour
Neurological Sciences,
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.