Clinical evaluation of (-)eburnamonine in comparison with nicergoline in patients suffering from chronic brain ischemia.

The activity of (-)eburnamonine, a substance acting on the cerebral circulation and metabolism, was compared with that of nicergoline in a double-blind study carried out on a group of 28 patients (16 males and 12 females), suffering from established chronic brain ischemia. The treatment consisted of the administration for the first 5 days of 80 mg/day and for the following days of 60 mg/day of (-)eburnamonine, in 14 subjects. Nicergoline was administered to the other 14 subjects: 20 mg/day for the first 5 days and then 15 mg/day. The treatment was protracted for at least 20 days. (-)Eburnamonine appeared to influence some symptoms more rapidly and significantly than nicergoline. After 20 days of treatment the overall improvement obtained with (-)eburnamonine was 31 and 18% with nicergoline. No side effects or impairment of the biochemical tests appeared during either treatment.