Methods of using ryanodine antagonists in treating neural injury

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of providing neuroprotection to a mammal comprising administering to said mammal suffering from or at risk of suffering a noxious action on its nerve cells an effective amount of a ryanodine antagonist, e.g. dantrolene, to inhibit or prevent nerve cell injury or death.

1 . A method of providing neural protection in acute and chronic neural disorders in human patients comprising administering to said patients suffering from said disorders an effective amount of a compound that is a ryanodine receptor antagonist in pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle to inhibit or prevent nerve cell injury or death.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the disorder is glaucoma, including primary open-angle glaucoma, chronic closed-angle glaucoma, and normotensive glaucoma.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is diabetic retinopathy.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is age-related macular degeneration.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is stroke.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is acute brain trauma.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is Alzheimer's disease.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is Parkinson's disease.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said disorder is a result of glutamate induced excitotoxic effects on nerve cells.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compound is administered in combination with a NMDA antagonist.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said NMDA antagonist is memantine.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compound is administered in combination with an anti-agiogenesis agent.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compound is selected from the group consisting of procaine, ruthenium red, tetracaine, benzocaine, imperatoxin inhibitor, protamine sulfate, iberiotoxin, 8N-cADPR, DHBP, 2-aminoethyl-methanesulfonate.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said compound is dantrolene.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compound is administered in an amount sufficient to achieve a serum concentration of from 0.01 nM to 5 μM.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compound is administered orally, topically or by intraocular injection, intramuscular injection.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compound is in aqueous solutions, suspensions, ointments, gels, and jellies.