Use of tetracycline to enhance bone protein synthesis and/or treatment of bone deficiency

Abstract

Tetracyclines, antibacterial and non-antibacterial tetracyclines, have been found to be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis in humans by administering to the human suffering from osteoporosis an effective amount of a tetracycline to enhance bone protein synthesis. Tetracyclines which have been found to be effective in the treatment of osteoporosis in humans include minocycline, doxycycline and dedimethylaminotetracyline.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. .[.A.]. .Iadd.The .Iaddend.method of .[.enhancing bone protein synthesis in a human which comprises administering to the human an effective amount of a tetracycline.]..Iadd.claim 20 wherein said disease is osteoporosis .Iaddend.. 
     
     
       2. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is an antibacterial tetracycline. 
     
     
       3. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is non-antibacterial tetracycline. 
     
     
       4. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is minocycline. 
     
     
       5. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is doxycycline. 
     
     
       6. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 7-chlorotetracycline. 
     
     
       7. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 5-hydroxytetracycline. 
     
     
       8. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 6-demethyl-7-chlorotetracycline. 
     
     
       9. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-5-bydroxy-6-methylenetetracycline. 
     
     
       10. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is dedimethylamimotetracycline. 
     
     
       11. A method in accoredance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 6-alpha-benzylthiomethylenetetracycline. 
     
     
       12. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is a nitrile analog of tetracycline. 
     
     
       13. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is a mono-N-alkylated amide of tetracycline. 
     
     
       14. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 6-fluorodemethyltetracycline. 
     
     
       15. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 11-alpha-chlorotetracycline. 
     
     
       16. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 2-acetyl-8-hydroxyl-1-tetracycline. 
     
     
       17. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is 6-demethyl-6-deoxytetracycline. 
     
     
       18. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is administered systemically. 
     
     
       19. A method in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.wherein said tetracycline is administered orally. .Iadd.20. A method of treating mammal with bone deficiency disease by enhancing bone protein synthesis in said mammal which comprises administering to the mammal an effective amount of a tetracycline. .Iaddend.