Methods of treating acne

Abstract

A method of treating acne in a human in need thereof comprising administering systemically to said human a tetracycline compound in an amount that is effective to treat acne but has substantially no antibiotic activity, without administering a bisphosphonate compound.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating acne in a human in need thereof, the method comprising
 administering orally to said human doxycycline, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,   in an amount that   (i) is effective to treat acne;   (ii) is 10-80% of a 50 mg dose of doxycycline; and   (iii) results in no reduction of skin microflora during a six-month treatment, without administering a bisphosphonate compound.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said doxycycline is doxycycline monohydrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered in an amount of 40 milligrams. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered by sustained release. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered once a day. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered in a dose of 20 mg twice a day. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said doxycycline, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is administered in an amount which provides a serum concentration in the range of about 0.1 to about 0.8 μg/ml. 
     
     
         8 . A method for treating acne in a human in need thereof, the method comprising
 administering orally to said human doxycycline, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,   in an amount that   (i) is effective to treat acne;   (ii) is 40-80% of a 50 mg dose of doxycycline; and   (iii) results in no reduction of skin microflora during a six-month treatment, without administering a bisphosphonate compound.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said doxycycline is doxycycline monohydrate. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered in an amount of 40 milligrams. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered by sustained release. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered once a day. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered in a dose of 20 mg twice a day. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said doxycycline, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is administered in an amount which provides a serum concentration in the range of about 0.1 to about 0.8 μg/ml. 
     
     
         15 . A method for treating acne in a human in need thereof, the method comprising
 administering orally to said human doxycycline, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in an amount of 40 mg per day, wherein the amount results in no reduction of skin microflora during a six-month treatment, without administering a bisphosphonate compound.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said doxycycline is doxycycline monohydrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered by sustained release. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered once a day. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said doxycycline monohydrate is administered in a dose of 20 mg twice a day. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said doxycycline, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is administered in an amount which provides a serum concentration in the range of about 0.1 to about 0.8 μg/ml.