---
title: Does a sumatriptan and naproxen combination help menstrual migraine and period pain?
description: Yes, the combination prevented prostaglandins from rising during attacks, unlike placebo. This was a very small pilot study with only 4 women.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/changes-in-salivary-prostaglandin-levels-during-menstrual-migraine-with-2010/
---

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- Does a sumatriptan and naproxen combination help menstrual migraine and period pain?

Randomised trial, 2010

# Does a sumatriptan and naproxen combination help menstrual migraine and period pain?

Yes, the combination prevented prostaglandins from rising during attacks, unlike placebo. This was a very small pilot study with only 4 women.

 Early or limited evidence

4 women with menstrual migraine and period pain

## What they did

4 women with menstrual migraine and period pain took either the combination or placebo at the start of a migraine. Saliva was collected at the start and 2 and 4 hours later.

## What they found

In women receiving placebo, several prostaglandins rose over 2 to 4 hours (PGD2, PGF2, and TXA2 at both time points, and PGE2 at 4 hours). In women receiving the sumatriptan and naproxen combination, most prostaglandins did not rise at either time point, though TXA2 still increased at 4 hours.

## What it means for you

The drug combination may work partly by preventing the rise in prostaglandins that trigger pain during menstrual migraines. This is a pilot study with only 4 women, so the findings need confirmation in larger studies before drawing strong conclusions.

4

women studied

2 and 4 hours

time after treatment when saliva was sampled

## About the study

Original title Changes in salivary prostaglandin levels during menstrual migraine with associated dysmenorrhea Authors Durham PL, Vause CV, Derosier F et al. Journal Headache Year 2010 Study design Randomised trial Participants 4 What was tested Sumatriptan and naproxen sodium combination tablet Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01657.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01657.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

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