Assessment of the genotoxic potential of a migraine-specific drug by comet and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assays

ABSTRACT

Background: Eletriptan is a migraine-specific drug-containing the triptan group. In terms of drug safety, the present study aimed to investigate the genotoxic potential of eletriptan.

Research design & methods: We conducted our study by using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN) assay, a comprehensive method for measuring micronucleus formation, and a sensitive method for detecting DNA-strand breaks. In the assay, cytokinesis-block proliferation index and the frequency of micronuclei were evaluated in lymphocytes treated with three different concentrations (1, 10 and 25 µg/ml) of eletriptan for 48 hours. In comet assays, DNA damage was evaluated in leucocytes treated with three different concentrations (1, 10 and 25 µg/ml) of eletriptan for an hour.

Results: Eletriptan did not induce cytotoxicity nor any increased micronuclei frequencies. While the comet parameters % DNA in tail, tail moment, and the olive moment was found to be significantly increased at 10 and 25 µg/ml, the cytokinesis-block proliferation index values were not.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that eletriptan is non-cytotoxic but potentially weakly genotoxic at higher concentrations (10 and 25 µg/ml).

KEYWORDS:

• Eletriptan
• genotoxicity
• migraine
• comet assay
• micronucleus

Authors’ contributions

AC designed and MC performed the experiments. AC analyzed the data. AC and HC aided in the analysis and interpretation of the data and provided project guidance. HC wrote the manuscript, which AC revised. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.