Patent ID: 8822509

Claim:
A method for treating neuropathic pain in a subject, the method consisting essentially of administering to the subject at least one NO donor at a level that enhances NO and that does not alter normal systemic vascular tone in the subject, wherein the at least one NO donor comprises a furoxan NO donor of formula (I): wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl, —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl, —C 0-6 alkylCO 2 R 3 , —C 0-6 alkylC(O)R 3 , —C 0-6 alkylC(O)NHR 4 , —C 0-6 alkylN(R 4 ) 2 , —C 0-6 alkylN + (R 7 ) 3 , —C 0-6 alkylOR 5 , —C 0-6 alkylSR 5 , —C 0-6 alkylC(═NR 6 )R 3 , —C 0-6 alkylN═NR 5 , —C 0-6 alkylNR 4 N(R 4 ,) 2 , —C 0-6 alkylNR 4 C(═NR 4 )N(R 4 ,) 2 , —C 0-6 alkylhalo, —C 0-6 alkylS(O)R 3 , —C 0-6 alkylSO 2 R 3 , —CN and —NO 2 ; or R 1 and R 2 taken together form an optionally substituted 5 to 8 membered saturated or unsaturated carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, an aryl ring or a heteroaryl ring; R 3 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, 6alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl, —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl, —C 1-6 alkylCO 2 R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylN(R 4 ) 2 , —C 1-6 alkylNR 4 C(═NR 4 )N(R 4 ,) 2 —C 1-6 alkylOR 7 and —C 1-6 alkylSR 7 ; each R 4 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl, —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl, —C 0-6 alkylC(O)R 8 , —C 0-6 alkylC(S)R 8 , —C 0-6 alkylCO 2 R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylSO 2 R 8 and —C 0-6 alkylOR 7 ; R 5 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, 6alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl, —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl, —C 0-6 alkylC(O)R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylCO 2 R 8 , —C 0-6 alkylN(R 7 ) 2 , —C 0-6 alkylC(O)N(R 7 ) 2 , —C 0-6 alkylNR 4 C(═NR 4 )N(R 4 ,) 2 , —C 1-6 alkylOR 7 and —C 1-6 alkylSR 7 ; R 6 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl, —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl, —C 0-6 alkylNHC(O)N(R 7 ) 2 , —C 0-6 alkylNHC(O)R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylNHSO 2 R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylNHCO 2 R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylOC(O)R 7 , —C 0-6 alkylC(O)R 7 , —CN and —OR 7 ; each R 7 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl and —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl; and R 8 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, 6alkylcycloalkyl, —C 0-6 alkylcycloalkenyl, —C 0-6 alkylaryl, —C 0-6 alkylheterocyclyl, —C 0-6 alkylheteroaryl and —N(R 7 ) 2 ; wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heterocyclyl and heteroaryl group is optionally substituted; or a pharmaceutically compatible salt thereof; and wherein R 1 and R 2 are not both —C o alkylN(R 4 ) 2 .