Effect ofnicergoline on cerebral blood flow

SUM M ARY Cerebral bloodflow(CBF)was measuredbefore andafter intravenous injection ofthecerebral vasodilator nicergoline in13patients withcerebrovascular disease. CBF increased inseven.Thepossibility thattheeffect ofthedrugintheremainder may havebeen maskedbya fall ofCBF whichoccursduring sequential measurementofpatients atrestis discussed. Nicergoline (1,6-dimethyl-8 beta-(5-bromonicotinoyl-oxymethyl) -10alpha-methoxy-ergoline) is an alpha-adrenergic receptorblocking agent (Arcari etal., 1968) whichaffects cerebral blood flowbyreducing cerebrovascular resistance (Benzi etal., 1971). Thepresent study was undertaken to assesstheacuteeffect ofthedrugon cerebral bloodflowandbloodpressureinpatients with cerebrovascular disease. Methods