Sumatriptan

Sumatriptan is a medication used for the treatment of migraine headaches.

It is a synthetic drug belonging to the triptan class. Structurally, it is an analog of the naturally occurring neuro-active alkaloids dimethyltryptamine (DMT), bufotenine, and 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine, with an N-methyl sulfonamidomethyl- group at position C-5 on the indole ring.

Sumatriptan is produced and marketed by various drug manufacturers with many different trade names such as Imitrex, Imigran, and Treximet as a combination product with naproxen.

Medical uses

Sumatriptan is effective for ending the headache of a migraine. It is most effective when injected under the skin and when taken early after the start of the pain.

Adverse effects

Large doses of sumatriptan can cause sulfhemoglobinemia, a rare condition in which the blood changes from red to greenish-black, due to the integration of sulfur into the hemoglobin molecule. If sumatriptan is discontinued, the condition reverses within a few weeks.