Abstract:
Method for the use of 2,5,-dihydroxybenzenesulphonic derivatives for normalizing endothelial function and treating sexual dysfunctions, the vascular complications of diabetes and vascualr disorders of endothelial origin are disclosed. Preferred 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulponic derivatives are calcium dobesilate, ethamsylate and persilate.

Description:
This application is an application filed under 35 U.S.C. Sec. 371 as a national stage of international application PCT/EP97/01709, which was filed Apr. 3, 1997. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the use of derivatives of dihydroxybenzenesulfonic acids and their physiologically acceptable salts for the manufacture of medicaments intended for the normalization of the endothelial function, for the treatment of sexual dysfunction, of vascular complications of diabetes and of vascular disorders of endothelial origin. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Recent studies have demonstrated that calcium dobesilate, ethamsylate and persilate exert effects on the endothelium in the sense of facilitating endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation. This effect is observed both in normal animals and in those in which vascular aging has been produced experimentally by means of the administration of high doses of vitamin D 2 . This activity of calcium dobesilate, of ethamsylate and of persilate may be reflected in man by effects which are therapeutically useful. In particular, it has been demonstrated that the erection of the penis is modulated by nitric oxide produced in the endothelium (A. L. Burnett et al., Science, 1992, 257, 401-403; J. Rajfer et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 1992, 326, 90-94; Editorial, Lancet, 1992, 340, 882-883) and that, under circumstances where the endothelial function is detrimentally affected, as in hyperlipidemias (K. Kugiyama et al., Nature, 1990, 344, 160-162), correction of the detrimental change normalizes the erectile function, measured with accuracy during nocturnal sleep (J.-B. Kostis et al., J. Clin. Pharmacol., 1994, 34, 989-996; R. C. Rosen, &#34;The Pharmacology of Sexual Function and Dysfunction&#34;, edited by J. Bancroft, Elsevier Sc., 1995, pages 277-287). The normalization of the endothelial function obtained with calcium dobesilate, ethamsylate and persilate can represent an entirely novel therapeutic approach to the problem of impotence (I. Saenz de Tejada et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 1989, 320, 1025-1030), both in patients with vascular disorders with various causes (diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and the like) and in patients where only a functional disorder can be detected. 
     Furthermore, the normalizing effect on the endothelial function can also offer therapeutic opportunities in vascular spasm processes, in complications of diabetes (W. Durante et al., Br. J. Pharmacol., 1988, 94, 463-468) and in all disorders, including premature ejaculation (E. M. Hull et al., Neuropharmacology, 1994, 33, 1499-1504), where a deficit in the formation of nitric oxide for the vascular endothelium appears evident. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The compounds recommended in the context of the present invention correspond to the general formula I: ##STR1## in which: R represents a hydrogen atom (H) or a sulfonic group (SO 3  --) 
     B represents a calcium atom (Ca++) or a diethylamine group [H 2  N+(C 2  H 5 ) 2  ] 
     n represents 1 or 2 
     m represents 1 or 2. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The compounds of the examples which are shown below are prepared according to the processes described subsequently: 
    
    
     EXAMPLE 1 
     Calcium 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate (calcium dobesilate). &#34;The Merck Index&#34;, 11th edition, Merck &amp; Co., Rahway, N.J., USA, 1989. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     Diethylamine 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate (ethamsilate). &#34;The Merck Index&#34;, 11th edition, Merck &amp; Co., R. Rahway, N.J., USA, 1989. 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     Bis(diethylamine) 2,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,4-disulfonate (bis(diethylamine) persilate). French Patent FR 73/17709 (Publication No. 2,201,888). 
     In order to study the normalizing effect on the endothelial function of the products which are the subject-matter of the present invention, various &#34;in vitro&#34; and &#34;in vivo&#34; studies have been carried out. A description is given below of the results obtained, as non-limiting example, with one of the products which are the subject-matter of the present invention, calcium dobesilate, it being demonstrated that it has an endothelium-dependent relaxing activity. 
     The studies were carried out by using the aortas isolated from male rabbits according to the techniques described by A. Quintana et al. (Europ. J. Pharmacol., 1978, 53, 113-116) and by the group from the University of Edinburgh (Pharmacological Experiments on Isolated Preparations, Edinburgh, Livingstone, 1970). The aortas isolated without the endothelium are prepared according to the technique described by R. Furchgott et al. (J. Cardiol. Pharmacol., 1984, 6, p. 336-p. 343). 
     A.--&#34;IN VITRO&#34; Studies 
     1) Effect on the Contraction of the Aorta Maintained with 10 -6  M Noradrenalin. 
     Calcium dobesilate relaxes the contraction of noradrenalin in a way dependent on the concentration (between 10 -4  M and 10 -11  M). The maximum relaxation was 70%. 
     2) Effect on the Basal Tension in the Aorta Arteries with and without Endothelium (Basal Tension=2 Grams). 
     Calcium dobesilate at concentrations between 10 -8  M and 10 -4  relaxes, in a dose-dependent way, the aortas subjected to a basal tension of 2 grams. The maximum relaxation was 44% for the arteries with endothelium and 48% for the arteries without endothelium. 
     3) Effect on the Noradrenalin Concentration/Effect Curve. 
     In arteries with the intact endothelium, calcium dobesilate at a concentration of 10 -6  M inhibits a 44% the contraction obtained with 10 -4  M noradrenalin. In contrast, with arteries without endothelium, there is no modification of the curve. 
     B.--&#34;IN VIVO&#34; Studies 
     The protective effect on the endothelium with calcium dobesilate was studied in the rabbit. 
     To do this, the arterial endothelium in rabbits is damaged by a daily treatment with an overdose of vitamin D 2  and three groups of animals are used in the study: 
     O--Control 
     I--Hypervitaminosis D 2   
     II--Hypervitaminosis D 2  +50 mg/kg/day calcium dobesilate. 
     The studies are carried out with arteries originating from the treated rabbits by measuring the effect on the contraction of the aorta maintained with 10 -6  M noradrenalin. 
     Calcium dobesilate (between 10 -11  M and 10 -5  M) relaxes in a dose-dependent way the contraction due to noradrenalin. The least relaxation corresponds to the hypervitaminosis D 2  group (group I), whereas the maximum relaxation is obtained with the aortas of the group treated with calcium dobesilate (group II). 
     The maximum relaxation obtained for each group was as follows: 
     Group O (control): 69% 
     Group I (hypervitaminosis D 2  : 52% M 
     Group II (hypervitaminosis D 2  +calcium dobesilate): 100% 
     The results obtained show that calcium dobesilate acts by potentiating the synthesis and/or the release or else by decreasing the destruction of a releasing factor which depends on the vascular endothelium and which is probably released by noradrenalin through its action on the α 2  -adrenergic receptions. 
     In human therapeutics, the administration dose is, of course, a function of the seriousness of condition to be treated. It will generally be between approximately 0.5 and approximately 2 g/day. The derivatives of the invention will, for example, be administered in the form of hard gelatin capsules or tablets. Two specific pharmaceutical dosage forms will be shown below, by way of examples. 
     Example of Hard Gelatin Capsule Formula 
     
         ______________________________________Calcium dobesilate 0.500 gCellulose          0.023 gMagnesium estearate              0.007 gColloidal silicon dioxide              0.005 g              0.535 g______________________________________ 
    
     Example of Tablet Formula 
     
         ______________________________________Calcium dobesilate             0.2500 gMaize starch      0.0650 gLactose           0.0520 gPovidone K-30     0.0175 gCitric acid monohydrate             0.0125 gMagnesium estearate             0.0020 gSodium bisulfite  0.0010 g             0.4000 g______________________________________ 
    
     On account of the advantageous pharmacological properties attached to the compounds of general formula I, the present invention applies to the application of these compounds as medicaments, to the pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and to their use for the manufacture of medicaments intended for the normalization of the endothelial function, for the treatment of sexual dysfunction, of vascular complications of diabetes and of vascular disorders of endothelial origin.