Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of add-on Alpha-lipoic Acid on Migraine Prophylaxis in Adolescent Population

Summary

Migraine causes a substantial impact on the physical and mental health of a child and it is a major cause for time-off school leading to impaired academic performance. Therefore prophylactic treatment is suggested for adolescents with frequent or disabling migraine, aiming at improving the function, quality of life and reducing disability. The most commonly used non-pharmacological agents for the prophylactic management of migraine in adolescents are nutraceuticals. Amongst all nutraceuticals, most commonly used agents for prophylaxis are coenzyme Q10, magnesium, riboflavin, feverfew and butterbur . Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) or 6,8-thioctic acid, is an endogenous molecule which functions as an important co-factor for various enzyme complexes in mitochondria and plays an important role in energy metabolism.ALA is a nutraceutical agent which also has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. It has been proved that the thiol level remains low in migraine patients. However, only one study has been done by Ali et al in the pediatric population where the combination of ALA and topiramate has shown promising results but the study result is not generalizable due to its inherent limitations. So, the study has been planned with an aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ALA as add-on therapy with flunarizine in the adolescent age group

Timeline

Start

2019-09-14

Primary completion

2021-04-30

Completion

2021-06-30

Publications

• Background Karsan N, Prabhakar P, Goadsby PJ. Premonitory Symptoms of Migraine in Childhood and Adolescence. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2017 Jul;21(7):34. doi: 10.1007/s11916-017-0631-y.
• Background Eiland LS, Jenkins LS, Durham SH. Pediatric migraine: pharmacologic agents for prophylaxis. Ann Pharmacother. 2007 Jul;41(7):1181-90. doi: 10.1345/aph.1K049. Epub 2007 Jun 5.
• Background O'Brien HL, Kabbouche MA, Hershey AD. Treating pediatric migraine: an expert opinion. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2012 May;13(7):959-66. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2012.677434. Epub 2012 Apr 14.
• Background D'Onofrio F, Raimo S, Spitaleri D, Casucci G, Bussone G. Usefulness of nutraceuticals in migraine prophylaxis. Neurol Sci. 2017 May;38(Suppl 1):117-120. doi: 10.1007/s10072-017-2901-1.
• Background Wang J, Tang J, Zhou X, Xia Q. Physicochemical characterization, identification and improved photo-stability of alpha-lipoic acid-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier. Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 2014 Feb;40(2):201-10. doi: 10.3109/03639045.2012.753901. Epub 2013 Jan 22.
• Background Magis D, Ambrosini A, Sandor P, Jacquy J, Laloux P, Schoenen J. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of thioctic acid in migraine prophylaxis. Headache. 2007 Jan;47(1):52-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00626.x.
• Background Sorge F, De Simone R, Marano E, Nolano M, Orefice G, Carrieri P. Flunarizine in prophylaxis of childhood migraine. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Cephalalgia. 1988 Mar;8(1):1-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1988.0801001.x.
• Background Abu-Arafeh I, Hershey AD, Diener HC, Tassorelli C; Clinical Trials Standing Committee and the Child and Adolescent Standing Committee of the International Headache Society. Guidelines of the International Headache Society for controlled trials of preventive treatment of migraine in children and adolescents, 1st edition. Cephalalgia. 2019 Jun;39(7):803-816. doi: 10.1177/0333102419842188. Epub 2019 Apr 4.
• Background Sorge F, Marano E. Flunarizine v. placebo in childhood migraine. A double-blind study. Cephalalgia. 1985 May;5 Suppl 2:145-8. doi: 10.1177/03331024850050S227.
• Background Kenney D, Jenkins S, Youssef P, Kotagal S. Patient Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines in an Outpatient Pediatric Neurology Clinic. Pediatr Neurol. 2016 May;58:48-52.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.11.003. Epub 2016 Jan 11.
• Puliappadamb HM, Satpathy AK, Mishra BR, Maiti R, Jena M. Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Add-on Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Migraine Prophylaxis in an Adolescent Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Pharmacol. 2023 Dec;63(12):1398-1407. doi: 10.1002/jcph.2331. Epub 2023 Aug 24.

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