Migranal is a product manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

The US FDA approved Migranal in December 1997 for the treatment of migraine.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is the U.S. affiliate of Novartis AG, a world leader in healthcare.

Novartis has core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye care, and animal health.

In the U.S. , Novartis has quickly achieved a reputation as an industry leader. 

Note: World-drugs.net sells generic version of Migranal

Migranal is a migraine-specific serotonin agonist that works at multiple receptor sites.

Migranal attacks migraine at its source by selectively binding to receptors in the brain that regulate the release of serotonin, a chemical considered to play a key role in the development of migraine. 

3.ABOUT MIGRANAL MEDICATION

MIGRAINE HEADACHE

The phases of typical migraine headache

Definition
Migraine is a type of headache marked by severe head pain lasting several hours or more.

Description
Migraine is an intense, often debilitating type of headache.

More than three million women and one million men have one or more severe headaches every month.

Migraines often begin in adolescence, and are rare after age 60.

Two types of migraine are recognized. Eighty percent of migraine sufferer's experience "migraine without aura," formerly called common migraine. In "migraine with aura," formerly called classic migraine, pain is preceded or accompanied by visual or other sensory disturbances, including hallucinations, partial obstruction of the visual field, numbness or tingling, or a feeling of heaviness. Symptoms are often most prominent on one side of the body, and may begin as early as 72 hours before the onset of pain.

Causes & symptoms

Causes
The physiological basis of migraine has proved difficult to uncover. Genetics appear to play a part for many, but not all, people with migraine. There are a multitude of potential triggers for a migraine attack, and recognizing one's own set of triggers is the key to prevention.

Physiology
The most widely accepted hypothesis of migraine suggests that a migraine attack is precipitated when pain-sensing nerve cells in the brain release chemicals called neuropeptides. At least one of the neurotransmitters, substance P, increases the pain sensitivity of other nearby nociceptors.

Other neuropeptides act on the smooth muscle surrounding cranial blood vessels. This smooth muscle regulates blood flow in the brain by relaxing or contracting, thus dilating (enlarging) or constricting the enclosed blood vessels. At the onset of a migraine headache, neuropeptides are thought to cause muscle relaxation, allowing vessel dilation and increased blood flow. Other neuropeptides increase the leakiness of cranial vessels, allowing fluid leak, and promote inflammation and tissue swelling. The pain of migraine is thought to result from this combination of increased pain sensitivity, tissue and vessel swelling, and inflammation. The aura seen during a migraine may be related to constriction in the blood vessels that dilate in the headache phase.

Genetics
Susceptibility to migraine may be inherited. A child of a migraine sufferer has as much as a 50% chance of developing migraine. If both parents are affected, the chance rises to 70%. However, the gene or genes responsible have not been identified, and many cases of migraine have no obvious familial basis. It is likely that whatever genes are involved set the stage for migraine, and that full development requires environmental influences as well.

Triggers
A wide variety of foods, drugs, environmental cues, and personal events are known to trigger migraines. It is not known how most triggers set off the events of migraine, nor why individual migraine sufferers are affected by particular triggers but not others.

Common food triggers include:

• Cheese
• Alcohol
• Caffeine products, and caffeine withdrawal
• Chocolate
• Intensely sweet foods
• Dairy products
• Fermented or pickled foods
• Citrus fruits
• Nuts
• Processed foods, especially those containing nitrites, sulfites, or monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Environmental and event-related triggers include:

• Stress or time pressure
• Menstrual periods, menopause
• Sleep changes or disturbances, oversleeping
• Prolonged overexertion or uncomfortable posture
• Hunger or fasting
• Odors, smoke, or perfume
• Strong glare or flashing lights.

Drugs which may trigger migraine include:

• Oral contraceptives
• Estrogen replacement therapy
• Nitrates
• Theophylline
• Reserpine
• Nifedipine
• Indomethicin
• Cimetidine
• Decongestant overuse
• Analgesic overuse
• Benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Symptoms
Migraine without aura may be preceded by elevations in mood or energy level for up to 24 hours before the attack. Other pre-migraine symptoms may include fatigue, depression, and excessive yawning.

Aura most often begins with shimmering, jagged arcs of white or colored light progressing over the visual field in the course of 10-20 minutes. This may be preceded or replaced by dark areas or other visual disturbances. Numbness and tingling is common, especially of the face and hands. These sensations may spread, and may be accompanied by a sensation of weakness or heaviness in the affected limb.

The pain of migraine is often present only on one side of the head, although it may involve both, or switch sides during attacks. The pain is usually throbbing, and may range from mild to incapacitating. It is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting, painful sensitivity to light and sound, and intolerance of food or odors. Blurred vision is common.

Migraine pain tends to intensify over the first 30 minutes to several hours, and may last from several hours to a day or longer. Afterward, the affected person is usually weary, and sensitive to sudden head movements.

Diagnosis
Migraine is diagnosed by a careful medical history. Lab tests and imaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have not been useful for identifying migraine. However, for some patients, those tests may be needed to rule out a brain tumor or other structural causes of migraine headache.

Treatment
Once a migraine begins, the person will usually seek out a dark, quiet room to lessen painful stimuli. Migranal may be used to reduce the pain and severity of the attack. 

4.MIGRANAL EFFECTIVENESS
When is Migranal best taken?

In the two most recent clinical trials, patients began to feel headache relief as early as 30 minutes after treatment with Migranal. In those same trials, up to 60% of patients responded by two hours, and up to 70% responded by four hours, following a single dose of Migranal. The majority of patients in all pivotal clinical trials did not need additional medications for their migraine headaches during the 24-hour period following a single dose of Migranal. 

5.MIGRANAL EFFECTS ON SPECIAL POPULATION
How do different people react to Migranal?

Age:
The pharmacokinetics of oral Migranal in the elderly (mean age, 72 years; 2 males and 4 females) and in patients with migraine (mean age, 38 years; 25 males and 155 females) were similar to that in healthy male subjects (mean age, 30 years).

Gender:
In a study comparing females to males, no pharmacokinetic differences were observed between genders for maximum concentration, maximum time, and half-life.

Race:
The systemic clearance and maximum concentration of Migranal were similar in black (n = 34) and Caucasian (n = 38) healthy male subjects.

6.MIGRANAL EFFECTS ON MEDICAL CONDITIONS
(How does Migranal affect your existing condition/ailment?

Renal Impairment:
The effect of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics of Migranal has not been examined, but little clinical effect would be expected as Migranal is largely metabolized to an inactive substance. 

Hepatic Impairment:
The liver plays an important role in the presystemic clearance of orally administered Migranal. Accordingly, the bioavailability of Migranal following oral administration may be markedly increased in patients with liver disease. 

7.OTHER/ALTERNATE USES OF MIGRANAL
(What else does Migranal treat?)

Migranal can ONLY be used for migraine.

8.ADVERSE/SIDE EFFECTS of MIGRANAL
What are the side effects of Migranal?)

Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your health care provider right away): Chest pain, vision problems, confusion, anxiety, itchy skin, depression, strange feelings in or discoloration of fingers or toes, swelling, breathing problems, body aches, cold hands or feet, skin blisters, weakness, fast or slow heartbeat.

Other: Dizziness, diarrhea, and nausea.