Method of treating brain ischemia

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of treating various neurodegenerative disorders, in which a xanthine derivative represented by formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, as an active ingredient, is administered.

1 . A method of treating disease selected from the group consisting of progressive supranuclear palsy, AIDS brain fever, propagating spongy brain fever, Huntington's chorea, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multi-system atrophy, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which comprises administering an effective amount of the xanthine derivative represented by formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  independently represent hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl or lower alkynyl; R 4  represents cycloalkyl, —(CH 2 ) n —R 5  (wherein R 5  represents substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, and n is an integer of 0 to 4), or the following group: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein Y 1  and Y 2  independently represent hydrogen, halogen or lower alkyl, and Z represents substituted or unsubstituted aryl, the following group: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         (wherein R 6  represents hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro or amino, and m is an integer of 1 to 3), or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; and X 1  and X 2  independently represent O or S, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.