LOS ANGELES – An over-the-counter herbal supplement touted for headache relief proved reasonably effective in treating migraines, Dr. Sheena Aurora reported at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society.
Dr. Aurora, of the Swedish Headache Center in Seattle, conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled study in which 26 patients were randomized to take GelStat Migraine or a placebo at the onset of an acute migraine headache.
Among 13 patients receiving GelStat Migraine, 8 reported headache relief after 2 hours, compared with 5 placebo patients, a statistically significant result, the investigator reported.
GelStat Migraine, a combination of ginger extract (12.5 mg) and feverfew (2.0 mg), is available in a gel-filled liquid capsule that is held under the tongue for 5–10 minutes and then swallowed.
“We think for a short benefit for somebody who's having a lot of headaches this is a safe and effective therapy,” Dr. Aurora said. “Say someone doesn't have their triptan with them. It probably gives them enough time and it doesn't have any interactions, so conceivably they could take the GelStat so they can get home.”
Although the mechanism of GelStat Migraine is not completely understood, feverfew seems to be a very nonspecific blocker of the transcription of inflammatory proteins, the investigator concluded.
Dr. Aurora's study was funded by GelStat Corp.