Sumatriptan is an orally active 5-HT1 receptor agonist with IC50 values of 7.3nM, 9.3nM and 17.8nM for 5-HT1D, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1F receptors, respectively[1]. 5-HT1 receptor is a G-protein-coupled receptor subfamily that inhibits adenylyl cyclase and modulates serotonin-mediated neurotransmission[2]. Sumatriptan is usually used for migraine headache research[3].
In vitro, Sumatriptan(10pM-10μM; 20min) displaced [³H]-5-HT with an IC50 of 5.0nM and fully stimulated [35S]-GTPγS binding with an EC50 of 16nM in CHO cells stably expressing human 5-HT1D receptors[4]. Sumatriptan(10pM-10μM; 20min) inhibited forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in HEK-293 cells expressing h5-HT1B receptors (IC50=20nM) and in C6-glioma cells expressing h5-HT1D receptors (IC50=2.6nM)[5].
In vivo, Sumatriptan (600μg/kg; i.p.) reversed nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced thermal and mechanical allodynia in male C57BL/6 mice, and restored withdrawal latencies and thresholds to baseline within 60min[6]. Sumatriptan (0.3mg/kg/day; i.p.; 28 days) reversed T9-10 clip-compression–induced mechanical and thermal allodynia, reduced spinal TNF-α, IL-1β and CGRP, and improved BBB locomotor scores in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats[7].
References:
[1] Peroutka SJ, McCarthy BG. Sumatriptan (GR 43175) interacts selectively with 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D binding sites. Eur J Pharmacol. 1989;163(1):133-136.
[2] Polter AM, Li X. 5-HT1A receptor-regulated signal transduction pathways in brain. Cell Signal. 2010;22(10):1406-1412.
[3] Dechant KL, Clissold SP. Sumatriptan. A review of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and therapeutic efficacy in the acute treatment of migraine and cluster headache. Drugs. 1992;43(5):776-798.
[4] Castro JL, Street LJ, Guiblin AR, et al. 3-[2-(Pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethyl]indoles and 3-[3-(piperidin-1-yl)propyl]indoles: agonists for the h5-HT1D receptor with high selectivity over the h5-HT1B subtype. J Med Chem. 1997;40(22):3497-3500.
[5] Lesage AS, Wouters R, Van Gompel P, et al. Agonistic properties of alniditan, sumatriptan and dihydroergotamine on human 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors expressed in various mammalian cell lines. Br J Pharmacol. 1998;123(8):1655-1665.
[6] Bates EA, Nikai T, Brennan KC, et al. Sumatriptan alleviates nitroglycerin-induced mechanical and thermal allodynia in mice. Cephalalgia. 2010;30(2):170-178.
[7] Afshari K, Dehdashtian A, Haddad NS, et al. Sumatriptan improves the locomotor activity and neuropathic pain by modulating neuroinflammation in rat model of spinal cord injury. Neurol Res. 2021;43(1):29-39.
















