Compounds useful for treating neurological disorders

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of compounds for the preparation of a medicament for treating neuropathic pain, migraine, psychiatric disorder and/or neuronal degeneration. The invention additionally relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compounds for treating neuropathic pain, migraine, psychiatric disorder and/or neuronal degeneration. A method for treating neuropathic pain, migraine, psychiatric disorder and/or neuronal degeneration is also provided.

1 . A method for treating a psychiatric disorder in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula [A] 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     as racemic mixtures or as individual stereoisomers or mixtures of racemic and stereoisomers, 
     wherein
 (i) X is selected from OH and NR 1 R 2 ; 
 (ii) R 1 , R 2  are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl; 
 (iii) n is 0 or 1; and 
 (iv) (a) R 3 , R 4  are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl;
 R 5 , R 6  are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl; or 
 (b) one of R 3  and R 4 , together with one of R 5  and R 6 , form a cyclopropyl ring, and the other of R 3 , R 4 , R 5  and R 6  is selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl, 
 
 
     including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates and solvates of the compound of formula [A], with the exclusion of the following compounds in racemic and stereoisomeric forms for treating migraine: propylisopropyl acetic acid, propylisopropyl acetamide, valnoctamide, valnoctic acid, diisopropyl acetamide 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein R 1  and R 2  are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl. 
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the compound of formula [A], n is zero. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the compound of formula [A] is of the formula I: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein:
 (i) X is selected from OH and NR 1 R 2 ; 
 (ii) R 1 , R 2  are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl; and 
 (iii) R 3 , R 4 , R 5  and R 6  are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6  alkyl. 
 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said C 1 -C 6  alkyl is a straight or a branched alkyl group. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the total number of carbon atoms in each of R 3 , R 4 , R 5  and R 6  is two. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein each of R 3 , R 4 , R 5  and R 6  are independently selected from H, methyl and ethyl. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein one of R 1  and R 2  is H and the other is C 1 -C 6  alkyl. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said compound is valnoctamide. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said compound is a valnoctamide isomer or a racemic mixture thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of PID, diisopropylacetamide (DID) and diisopropylacetic acid (DIA). 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said psychiatric disorder is a bipolar disorder. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said psychiatric disease is a bipolar disorder.