Objective To observe the influence of rizatriptan on the behavior and pain-related cytokines in peripheral blood of the migraine model rats, and to investigate the theraputic effect of rizatriptan on migraine.Methods A total of 24 rats were randomly divided into:control group,migraine group,rizatriptan control group and rizatriptan treatment group.The rats in rizatriptan control and rizatriptan treatment groups were intragastrically perfused with rizatriptan,1 mg·kg-1 per day (according to the adult daily dose),and the rats in control and migraine groups were perfused with normal saline,1 mL per day. After 7 d, nitroglycerin was subcutaneously inj ected into the buttocks of the rats in rizatriptan treatment and migraine groups to induce migraine.Normal saline was injected into the rats in control and rizatriptan control groups.At 60-90 min following nitroglycerin injection,the total number of behavioral symptoms was measured.The serum calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP),5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT ), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) levels were determined using ELISA. Results Compared with migraine group, the behavioral score of the rats in rizatriptan treatment group was significantly decreased (P<0.05).The serum CGRP level of the rats in migraine group was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05).Compared with control group,the serum 5-HT level of the rats in and migraine group was decreased, but there was no significant differece (P>0.05 );the serum 5-HT level in rizatriptan control group was significantly increased(P<0.05).The serum 5-HT level of the rats in rizatriptan treatment group was significantly increased compared with migraine group (P<0.05).The serum IL-1βand TNF-αlevels of the rats in varions groups had no significant differences (P>0.05).Conclusion Rizatriptan can relieve the behavior symptoms in nitroglycerin-induced migraine model rats, increase the serum 5-HT level, improve the vasomotor disturbance,and relieve the angiectasis.