Novel therapeutic use of nicergoline

Abstract

The invention concerns the use of nicergoline for preventing and/or treating motor neuron diseases.

1 . A method of using nicergoline for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of motor neuron diseases selected from the group consisting of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive spinal muscular atrophy, infantile muscular atrophy and primary lateral sclerosis, comprising mixing nicergoline with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said motor neuron disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said motor neuron disease is progressive spinal muscular atrophy.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said motor neuron disease is infantile muscular atrophy.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the disease is primary lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         6 . A method of using nicergoline for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of motor neuron diseases selected from the group consisting of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive spinal muscular atrophy, infantile muscular atrophy and primary lateral sclerosis, comprising mixing from about 5 mg to about 20 mg of nicergoline with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said motor neuron disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said motor neuron disease is progressive spinal muscular atrophy.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said motor neuron disease is infantile muscular atrophy.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the disease is primary lateral sclerosis.