Treatment of connective tissue diseases of the skin

Abstract

The present invention provides effective and safe medicaments for the treatment of connective tissue diseases of the skin, particularly with respect to the treatment of cutaneous forms of Lupus Erythematous. The medicaments comprise as the therapeutically active ingredient a beta2 adrenoceptor agonist. The invention furthermore relates to dermatological compositions without skin sensitization properties and which contain enantiomerically pure or enriched R-enantiomers of a beta2 adrenoceptor agonist.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating a skin disease or condition comprising administering a topical pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a beta 2  adrenoceptor agonist, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, isomer or racemic mixture thereof, to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the skin disease or condition benefits from modulating the activity of beta 2  adrenergic receptors in the skin. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the beta 2  adrenergic receptors are at least expressed in lymphocytes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the lymphocytes are T-lymphocytes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein modulating the activity of beta 2  adrenergic receptors in the skin reduces skin lesions. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein lymphocytic infiltration in the epidermis, dermis or mucosa is a pathological feature of the disease or condition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the skin disease or condition is selected from a disease or condition that affects the collagen, elastin or mucopolysaccharides of the skin. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein symptoms of the disease or disorder are treated. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the symptoms are selected from patchy dermal lymphocytic infiltrates, liquefaction degeneration of the basal cell layer of the epidermis, oedema of the connective tissue below the epidermis, fibrinoid of the connective tissue below the epidermis, atrophy of the dermis, keratotic plugging, thinning and pallor of the epidermis with relative hyperkeratosis and plugging of the follicular mouth, thickening of the basement membrane of the epidermis and/or small vessels, and premature elastotic degeneration of collagen in light exposed area. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the symptoms are selected from skin rash, chilblain-like lesions, alopecia in scalp lesions, well-defined erythematous patches which may contain scales, hyperkeratosis, telangiectasia, nodular lesions, non-scarring papulosquamous lesions and annular polycyclic lesions. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13  for the treatment of thickened or scarred areas of the skin. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the skin disease or disorder is a connective tissue disease. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the beta 2  adrenoceptor agonist is selected from the group consisting of Amiterol, Bamethan, Bitolterol, Butaxamine, Carbuterol, Cimaterol, Colterol, Clenbuterol, Clorprenaline, Colterol, Deterenol, Dioxethedrin, Etafedrine, Ethylnorepinephrine, Fenoterol, Flerobuterol, Formoterol, Hexoprenaline, Indacaterol, Isoetarine, Isoproterenol (Isoprenaline), Mabuterol, Medroxalol, Meluadrine, Nardeterol, Norbudrine, Norepinephrine (Arterenol), Orciprenaline (Metaproterenol), Picumeterol, Pirbuterol, Procaterol, Protokylol, Quinprenaline, Reproterol, Rimiterol, Salbutamol (Albuterol), Salmefamol, Salmeterol, Soterenol, Sulfonterol, Terbutaline, Tulobuterol, Zilpaterol, Zinterol, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the beta 2  adrenoceptor agonist is Salbutamol. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the Salbutamol is R-Salbutamol. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the administration is local treatment of the skin. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the local treatment is to areas of the skin affected by the disease or condition.