Compositions for oral administration of zoledronic acid or related compounds for treating disease

Abstract

Oral dosage forms of osteoclast inhibitors, such as zoledronic acid, in an acid or a salt form can be used to treat or alleviate pain or related conditions, such as arthritis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating arthritis comprising administering an oral dosage form containing a zoledronic acid, in an acid form or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form, to a human being in need thereof, wherein the human being receives an amount of the zoledronic acid, within a period of one month, that is a molar equivalent of about 100 mg to about 300 mg of the acid form of zoledronic acid, wherein administering the zoledronic acid has a therapeutic effect on the human being, and the human being receives zoledronic acid no more often than once daily. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zoledronic acid is orally administered daily. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein about 0.1 mg to about 10 mg of the zoledronic acid is orally administered daily. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein about 0.2 mg to about 5 mg of the zoledronic acid is orally administered daily. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein about 0.5 mg to about 10 mg of the zoledronic acid is orally administered daily. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the human being receives about 50 mg to about 70 mg of the zoledronic acid in a week. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the zoledronic acid is orally administered weekly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the zoledronic acid is orally administered weekly for 1 to 2 months. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zoledronic acid is orally administered once a month, or less frequently. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zoledronic acid is administered 2 to 5 times in a month. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zoledronic acid in the oral dosage form is effective in treatment of arthritis pain. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oral dosage form comprising the zoledronic acid is in the form of a tablet, a coated tablet, a cachet, a capsule, a caplet, a troche, or a dispersion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zoledronic acid in the oral dosage form is administered by controlled release or sustained release, and wherein the oral dosage form is administered via a delivery device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the arthritis affects, a knee, an elbow, a wrist, a shoulder, or a hip. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the arthritis affects a knee. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zoledronic acid is in a salt form. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the zoledronic acid is in a disodium salt form. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the imidazole ring of the zoledronic acid is in imidazolium salt form.