Treatment Of Neurodegenerative Diseases And Cancer Of The Brain Using Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

Abstract

The present application is directed to a method of treating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) comprising administering to a individual in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of histone deacetylase. In particular embodiments, the CNS disease is a neurodegenerative disease. In further embodiments, the neurogenerative disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease, such as those inherited neurodegenerative diseases which are polyglutamine expansion diseases. The individual can be a mammal such as a primate or human.

1 . A method of treating a brain cancer in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA), represented as: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. 
       
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered orally. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein SAHA is administered.