Used primarily in pharmaceutical research as a major active metabolite of zolmitriptan, it plays a key role in the treatment of migraine headaches. It functions by selectively binding to 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D serotonin receptors, leading to cranial vasoconstriction and inhibition of pro-inflammatory neuropeptide release. Due to its pharmacological activity, it is also employed as a reference standard in analytical testing to assess drug metabolism and bioavailability studies. Its presence in human plasma is monitored in pharmacokinetic evaluations to understand the metabolic profile of zolmitriptan in different patient populations.