Description
Nicergoline, sold under the brand name Sermion among others, is an ergot derivative used to treat senile dementia and other disorders with vascular origins. Internationally it has been used for frontotemporal dementia as well as early onset in Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s dementia. It decreases vascular resistance and increases arterial blood flow in the brain, improving the utilization of oxygen and glucose by brain cells. It has similar vasoactive properties in other areas of the body, particularly the lungs. Unlike many other ergolines, such as ergotamine, nicergoline is not associated with cardiac fibrosis.
It is used for vascular disorders such as cerebral thrombosis and atherosclerosis, arterial blockages in the limbs, Raynaud’s disease, vascular migraines, and retinopathy.
Nicergoline has been registered in over fifty countries and has been used for more than three decades for the treatment of cognitive, affective, and behavioral disorders of older people.