Patent ID: 7235539

Claim:
A method of treating or inhibiting inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative proctitis, or colitis in a mammal in need thereof, which comprises administering to said mammal an effective amount of a compound of formula I, having the structure wherein, R 1 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1–6 carbon atoms, benzyl, alkylcarbonyl of 2–7 carbon atoms, or benzoyl; X is R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1–6 carbon atoms, benzyl, alkylcarbonyl of 2–7 carbon atoms, or benzoyl; R 3 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1–6 carbon atoms, hydroxy, or alkoxy of 1–6 carbon atoms; a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a sulfate ester of the hydroxyl group at the 3- or 17-position when R 1 or R 2 is hydrogen, or a glucuronide of the hydroxyl group at the 3- or 17-position when R 1 or R 2 is hydrogen.