Pharmaceutical methods

A compound for use as a normolipidemizer and/or a platelet anti-binder in therapy, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compound. The compound comprises (2-benzofuryl)-(p-chlorophenyl)-carbinol (Chloridarol, DCI) of formula: ##STR1##

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to the use in therapy of the compound 
(2-benzofuryl)-(p-chlorophenyl)-carbinol (Chloridarol, DCI) of formula: 
##STR2## 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Chloridarol itself is known (see for example copending Italian Patent 
Application No. 93 File No. 86 of Feb. 22, 1963; British Patent 
Specification No. 1,160,925; Belgium Patent Specification No. 644,178 and 
Spanish Patent Specification No. 296,706 in the name of A. Menarini 
S.a.s., Florence). This compound is known to have therapeutic properties 
at the cardiac level and it is widely used in therapy in this field in 
various countries. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention there is provided a compound for use as 
a normolipidemizer, the compound comprising 
(2-benzofuryl)-(p-chlorophenyl)-carbinol of formula: 
##STR3## 
Further according to the invention, there is provided a compound for use as 
a platelet anti-binder, the compound comprising 
(2-benzofuryl)-(p-chlorophenyl)-carbinol of formula I: 
##STR4## 
Further, according to the invention, there is provided a pharmaceutical 
composition having an activity selected from the group conisting of 
normolipidemic and platelet anti-binding activities, the composition 
comprising the compound (2-benzofuryl)-(p-chlorophenyl)-carbinol of 
formula: 
##STR5## 
as active ingredient and a pharmaceutical vehicle or excipient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In pharmacological and clinical tests, chloridarol displays a marked 
normolipidemizing and platelet anti-binding activity. 
Pharmacological Testing 
The normolipidemizing activity has been investigated pharmacologically, by 
means of the fructose hyperglyceridemia test in rats according to E. A. 
Nikkila and K. Ojola, Life Sci., 4, 937 (1965). 
The platelet anti-binding activity was investigated by means of a test 
which measures the variation of the number of platelets in circulation 
after administration of ADP (adenosine diphosphoric acid) to rats 
according to G. De Gaetano and A. E. Cavenaghi, Thrombosio Res. 10, 525 
(1977). 
In both tests Chloridarol displays an activity comparable to that of 
chlofibrate. However, the toxicity of chloridarol is at most half that of 
chlofibrate. 
Clinical Testing 
Treatment with Chloridarol at doses ranging from 250 to 2500 mg/day was 
given to 200 patients who exhibited dislipidemic syndromes characterised 
by a high plasmatic rate of triglycerides and cholesterol which was not 
reducible by dietetic treatment. The results obtained indicate that the 
compound is able to reduce the triglyceride and cholesterol blood rate to 
a statistically and clinically significant extent. Patients treated with 
Chloridarol at the doses stated above show, after a period of treatment 
ranging from 15 days to 3 months, a reduction of cholesterolemia of 
between 12 and 30% of the basal values and a reduction of triglyceridemia 
of between 15 and 50% of the basal values. 
Chloridarol can be combined with an appropriate pharmaceutical carrier or 
excipient to form a pharmaceutical composition suitable for example, for 
oral, parenteral or rectal administration. The pharmaceutical composition 
may be supplied in units suitable for administration in a single dose or 
in repeated doses over a long period of time since it does not impair the 
function of the main organs and tracts.