Method of treatment of parkinson's disease

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
A method of treatment of Parkinson's disease in a patient in need of such treatment, which method comprises the step of administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of remacemide or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof.




Description:
This invention relates to a novel method of treatment of patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, the novel use of a known compound in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and to pharmaceutical products and formulations for use in that treatment.
Parkinson's disease is thought to be caused by arteriosclerotic changes in the basal ganglia and is characterized by rhythmical muscular tremors and rigidity of movement.
European Patent Application 279937 discloses 2-amino-N-(1,2-diphenyl-1-methylethyl)acetamide (hereinafter referred to as "remacemide") and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and their use as anti-epileptic agents.
European Patent Application 427427 discloses the use of remacemide and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases: however, their use in the treatment of Parkinson's disease is not mentioned.
Remacemide and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts are thought to be non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists.
3-Hydroxy-L-tyrosine (hereinafter referred to as "L-dopa") is a well known agent for use in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
The use of NMDA antagonists to potentiate the antiparkinsonian action of L-dopa in monoamine-depleted rats has been disclosed by Klockgether et al (Annals of Neurology, vol 28, No 4, p539, 1990).
It has now been found that administration of remacemide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in conjunction with L-dopa, to a patient suffering from Parkinson's disease is particularly beneficial.
Remacemide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, may also be useful in the treatment of Parkinson's disease on its own.
Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided: the use of remacemide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, as active ingredient in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of Parkinson's disease: and a pharmaceutical product containing remacemide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and L-dopa, as a combined preparation for separate, simultaneous or sequential use in the treatment of Parkinson's disease