Method for treatment of external secretion disorders

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for treatment of external secretion disorders, which comprises administering a fatty acid derivative to a subject in need of said treatment. The method of the present invention is useful for treatment of at least one condition selected from hypolacrimation including disorder of basal tear secretion, dry-eye syndrome, hyposalivation and dry-mouth syndrome.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for treatment of external secretion disorders, which comprises administering an effective amount of a fatty acid derivative to a subject in need of said treatment.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said external disorder is dry-eye syndrome.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said external disorder is hypolacrimation.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said external disorder is dry-mouth syndrome.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said external disorder is hyposalivation.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is an unsaturated fatty acid.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is a prostaglandin like compound.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the prostaglandin like compound is a PG receptor agonist.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is the one represented by the general formula (I):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein W 1 , W 2  and W 3  are carbon or oxygen atom,  
         L, M and N are hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, lower alkyl, hydroxy(lower)alkyl, or oxo, wherein at least one of L and M is a group other than hydrogen, and the five-membered ring may have at least one double bond;  
         A is —CH 2 OH, —COCH 2 OH, —COOH or its functional derivative;  
         B is single bond, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH═CH—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH═CH—, —C≡C—CH 2 —, or —CH 2 —C≡C—;  
         Z is  
         
           
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           wherein R 4  and R 5  are hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or hydroxy(lower)alkyl, wherein R 4  and R 5  are not hydroxy and lower alkoxy at the same time;  
         
         R 1  is a divalent saturated or unsaturated lower-medium aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, oxo, hydroxy, lower alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic; and  
         Ra is a saturated or unsaturated lower-medium aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, oxo, lower alkyl, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyloxy, cyclo(lower)alkyl, cyclo(lower)alkyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, heterocyclic or heterocyclic-oxy; cyclo(lower)alkyl; cyclo(lower)alkyloxy; aryl; aryloxy; heterocyclic; heterocyclic-oxy.  
       
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is the one represented by the general formula (II):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein L and M are hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, lower alkyl, hydroxy(lower)alkyl or oxo, wherein at least one of L and M is a group other than hydrogen, and the five-membered ring may have at least one double bond;  
         A is —CH 2 OH, —COCH 2 OH, —COOH or its functional derivative;  
         B is single bond, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH═CH—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH═CH—, —C≡C—CH 2 —, or —CH 2 —C≡C—;  
         Z is  
         
           
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           wherein R 4  and R 5  are hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or hydroxy(lower)alkyl, wherein R 4  and R 5  are not hydroxy and lower alkoxy at the same time;  
         
         X 1  and X 2  are hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen;  
         R 1  is a divalent saturated or unsaturated lower-medium aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, oxo, hydroxy, lower alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic;  
         R 2  is a single bond or lower alkylene; and  
         R 3  is lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, cyclo(lower)alkyl, cyclo(lower)alkyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, heterocyclic or heterocyclic-oxy.  
       
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is the one represented by the formula (III):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein Q 1  and Q 2  are hydrogen or lower alkyl, or Q 1  and Q 2  are linked together to form —(CH 2 ) n —wherein n is 1, 2 or 0, and six-membered ring may have at least one double bond;  
         A is —CH 2 OH, —COCH 2 OH, —COOH or its functional derivative;  
         B is single bond, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH═CH—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH═CH—, —C≡C—CH 2 —, or —CH 2 —C≡C—;  
         Z is  
         
           
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           wherein R 4  and R 5  are hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or hydroxy(lower)alkyl, wherein R 4  and R 5  are not hydroxy and lower alkoxy at the same time;  
         
         R 1  is a divalent saturated or unsaturated lower-medium aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, oxo, hydroxy, lower alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic;  
         Ra is a saturated or unsaturated lower-medium aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, oxo, lower alkyl, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyloxy, cyclo(lower)alkyl, cyclo(lower)alkyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, heterocyclic or heterocyclic-oxy; cyclo(lower)alkyl; cyclo(lower)alkyloxy; aryl; aryloxy; heterocyclic; heterocyclic-oxy; and  
         the six-memberd ring may optionally have one or more double bonds and may optionally consist a conjugated system.  
       
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , which comprises administering ophthalmically a composition comprising a fatty acid derivative formulated in a dosage form suitable for ophthalmic administration.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said composition is formulated as eye drops.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , which comprises to orally administrate to the subject a composition comprising a fatty acid derivative formulated in a dosage form suitable for administrating into the oral cavity.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said composition is formulated as a sublingual tablet.