Method of treating inflammatory conditions with progesterone or progesterone analogs

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for treating inflammatory conditions, including but not limited to, inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and proctitis), other noninfectious, inflammatory conditions of the GI tract (microscopic colitis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis, food allergies, pill induced esophagitis, celiac disease, recurrent polyps, and hemorrhoids), and psoriasis, using progesterone or progesterone analogs such as medroxyprogesterone acetate.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of treating a patient suffering from at least one of the following inflammatory conditions: inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and proctitis), microscopic colitis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis, food allergies, pill induced esophagitis, celiac disease, recurrent polyps, hemorrhoids, and psoriasis, wherein a progesterone or progesterone analog is selected and administered to the patient.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the progesterone analog has high progestational activity.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the progesterone analog is medroxyprogesterone acetate.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the patient is treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate once a day.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the patient is treated with from about 500 mg to about 2 grams of medroxyprogesterone acetate daily.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the progesterone analog is administered orally.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient is suffering from at least one of the following inflammatory conditions: inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and proctitis), microscopic colitis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis, food allergies, recurrent polyps, and hemorrhoids.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the progesterone analog is formulated in an enteric coated tablet to allow for targeted delivery to the affected portion of the bowel.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the progesterone analog is administered rectally using a composition chosen from an enema, a suppository, a foam, a cream, a gel, an ointment, and a suspension.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient is suffering from psoriasis.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the progesterone analog is applied to the skin, injected into at least one psoriasis lesion, or injected into the body near at least one psoriasis lesion.  
     
     
         12 . (New) A method of treating a patient suffering from at least one inflammatory condition selected from ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, proctitis, microscopic colitis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis, food allergies, pill induced esophagitis, celiac disease, recurrent polyps, and hemorrhoids; wherein the method comprises administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of at least one progesterone analog selected from an acetophenone derivative of 16α, 17α-dihydroxyprogesterone, allyestrenol, chlormadinone acetate, cyproterone acetate, desogestrel, dimethisterone, dydrogesterone, estrenols, ethinylestrenol, ethlestrenol, ethynodiol diacetate, hydroxyprogesterone caproate, megestrol acetate, norethandrolone, norethynodrel, norgestimate, 19-nortestosterone, valerate, caproate esters of progesterone, and any physiologically tolerated salts thereof.  
     
     
         13 . (New) The method of  claim 12 , wherein the progesterone analog exhibits progestational activity.  
     
     
         14 . (New) The method of  claim 12 , wherein the progesterone analog is administered to the patient once a day.  
     
     
         15 . (New) The method of  claim 12 , wherein the amount of progesterone analog administered to the patient is about 500 mg to about 2 grams per day.  
     
     
         16 . (New) The method of  claim 12 , wherein the progesterone analog is administered orally.  
     
     
         17 . (New) The method of  claim 12 , wherein the patient is suffering from ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.  
     
     
         18 . (New) The method of  claim 12 , wherein the progesterone analog is formulated in an enteric coated tablet to allow for targeted delivery to an affected portion of the gastrointestinal tract.  
     
     
         19 . (New) The method of  claim 18 , wherein the progesterone analog is administered rectally using an enema, a suppository, a foam, a cream, a gel, an ointment, a suspension, or combinations thereof.