HIGH-DOSE RIBOFLAVIN AS A PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT OF MIGRAINE - RESULTS OF AN OPEN PILOT-STUDY

If the brain of migraineurs is characterized between attacks by a redu ction of mitochondrial phosphorylation potential, riboflavin, which ha s the potential of increasing mitochondrial energy efficiency, might h ave prophylactic effects in migraine. In this preliminary open pilot s tudy, 49 patients suffering from migraine (45 without aura, 4 with aur a) were treated with 400 mg of riboflavin as a single oral dose for at least 3 months. Twenty-three patients received in addition 75 mg of a spirin. Mean global improvement after therapy was 68.2% and there was no difference between the two groups of patients. With the exception o f one patient in the riboflavin plus aspirin group who withdrew becaus e of gastric intolerance, no drug-related side effects were reported. High-dose riboflavin could thus be an effective, low-cost prophylactic treatment of migraine devoid of short-term side effects. A placebo-co ntrolled trial of its efficacy seems worthwhile.