Recent Development of Zolmitriptan Formulation in Migraine Therapy: Production, Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Aspects

The triptans class of pharmaceuticals, which was created to treat acute migraine, is made up of indole-containing drugs that bind to a subset (1B/1D) of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors and are agonists of serotonin receptors. At the moment, naratriptan, eletriptan, zolmitriptan, rizatriptan, almotriptan, and frovatriptan are the seven types of triptans available on the market. Among these are the FDA-approved triptans, Zolmitriptan and Sumatriptan, which are selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) agonists. Zolmitriptan, a synthetic tryptamine derivative and a well-known member of the triptan family, is available as an orally disintegrating tablet, nasal spray, and tablet. There are melt formulations of rizatriptan and zolmitriptan available on the market that are easier to use and absorb, comparable to regular pills. Recently, the FDA approved zolmitriptan, a medication with tolerability comparable to sumatriptan. Whereas zolmitriptan is only available as an oral melt or tablet, sumatriptan is available as a nasal spray, oral preparation, or self-injectable kit. The only known antimigraine drugs that were widely utilized before the triptan period were ergotamine and dihydroergotamine. However, zolmitriptan binds to plasma proteins only 25% of the time because of significant first-pass degradation. Researchers have looked into fresh ideas for solving this issue and innovations to overcome its pharmacokinetic difficulties. This article emphasizes the role of zolmitriptan in the treatment of migraines, highlighting its pharmacological properties, production, metabolism, and structural features.