Focus on the Endogenous Cannabinoid System in Migraine

Abstract

Migraine prophylaxis represents a better choice than symptomatic drugs, both for safety and for effectiveness. Today, drugs such as calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and topiramate are still used to treat migraine with and without aura, often with satisfactory results but in some cases with adverse effects, thus limiting their use. A new class of drugs in migraine prophylaxis are endocannabinoids, substances which modulate the mechanisms of neuroinflammation that cause migraine pain. Anandamide and palmitoylethanolamide have proven useful in migraine prophylaxis, suggesting their influence in neuroinflammatory processes and opening the way for new therapeutic perspectives.