What migraine medication MOA involves serotonin to achieve its therapeutic effect?

What migraine medication MOA involves serotonin to achieve its therapeutic effect?

• A. Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• B. Zolmitriptan (Zomig)
• C. Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
• D. Eletriptan (Relpax)

Answer: (A)

Migraine relief with this class comes from targeting serotonin receptors in the brain. These drugs act as agonists at the 5-HT1B/1D receptors located on cranial blood vessels and trigeminal nerve endings. Activating these receptors causes constriction of dilated cranial arteries and reduces the release of CGRP and other inflammatory mediators that drive migraine pain. Sumatriptan is a classic example of this mechanism: it selectively stimulates the 5-HT1B/1D receptors, engaging the serotonergic pathway to interrupt the migraine cascade and provide relief. The other drugs in this same class operate via the same serotonin receptor–mediated mechanism, so the serotonergic MOA is the defining feature here.

Migraine relief with this class comes from targeting serotonin receptors in the brain. These drugs act as agonists at the 5-HT1B/1D receptors located on cranial blood vessels and trigeminal nerve endings. Activating these receptors causes constriction of dilated cranial arteries and reduces the release of CGRP and other inflammatory mediators that drive migraine pain. Sumatriptan is a classic example of this mechanism: it selectively stimulates the 5-HT1B/1D receptors, engaging the serotonergic pathway to interrupt the migraine cascade and provide relief. The other drugs in this same class operate via the same serotonin receptor–mediated mechanism, so the serotonergic MOA is the defining feature here.