Clinical trial on the therapeutic activity of dihydroergokryptine in Parkinsonism: Preliminary results

The effectiveness of dihydroergokryptine (CRIP) in the management of Parkinson's disease was preliminarily tested. In an acute study, the effect of CRIP, 1 mg i.v. on EEG spectral analysis of 5 parkinsonism patients was compared with that displayed by lisuride 0,025 mg i.v. given to the same patients. Both drugs stimulated the cerebral bioelectrical activity, by increasing the alpha 1 and alpha 2 rhythms, while the beta, delta and theta rhythms were reduced. In a medium-term study, 7 'de novo' patients were given CRIP for 16 weeks (final dosage: 27 to 45 mg daily). Another group of 7 patients, already under 1-DOPA + bromocriptine (Bc) treatment was admitted to the study. Bc was withdrawn and gradually replaced by CRIP after a 2-week washout, while 1-DOPA was maintained unchanged. The scores of Webster rating scale and Columbia University rating scale were unchanged after replacement of Bc by CRIP in a 1:2 ratio, on a weight basis. Interestingly, the effective doses of CRIP induced lower side effects than Bc.