Method for improving reproductive functions in mammals

• US 4,970,203 A
• Filed: 12/09/1988
• Issued: 11/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (University of Wisconsin System)
• Original Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (University of Wisconsin System)
• Inventors: Deluca, Hector F., Kwiecinski, Gary G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henley, III, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US07/281,993
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 514/167
• US Class Current: 514/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/59 Compounds containing 9, 10- seco- cyclopenta[a]hydrophenanthrene ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/02 of urine or of the urinary tract, e.g. urine acidifiers
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 15/00 Drugs for genital or sexual disorders for disorders of sex hormones A61P5/24; Contraceptives

Abstract

A method of improving the fertility and reproductive capacity of male and female mammals by administering an amount of a vitamin D compound, such as vitamin D₃, its active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ or other compounds exhibiting vitamin D-like activity, to the mammal.

Claims

1. A method for improving reproductive functions in a mammal demonstrating diminished reproductive function, said diminished reproductive function being responsive to vitamin D, which comprises administering to said mammal an amount of a vitamin D compound sufficient to improve fertility and reproductive capacity of said mammal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said vitamin D compound is selected from the group consisting of vitamin D₃, vitamin D₂, 1α

-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

-hydroxyvitamin D₂, 1α

-25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₂, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₂, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₂, 24,24-difluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 24,24-difluoro-1α

, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 24-fluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 24-fluoro-1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 2β

-fluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 2β

-fluoro-1 -hydroxy-vitamin D₂, 2β

-fluoro-1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

,24,25-trihydroxyvitamin D₃, 25,26-dihydroxyvitaminD₃, 1α

,25,26-trihydroxyvitamin D₃, 23,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 23,25,26-trihydroxyvitamin D₃, and the corresponding 1α

-hydroxylated forms, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ -26,23-lactone and its 1α

-hydroxylated derivative, the side chain nor, dinor, trinor and tetranor-analogs of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ and of 1α

, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

-hydroxypregnacalciferol, and its homo and dihomo derivatives, 1α

,25-dihydroxy-24-epi-vitamin D₂, 24-homo-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 24-trihomo-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ and the corresponding 26- or 26,27-homo, dihomo or trihomo analogs of 1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vitamin D compound is administered in an amount of from about 0.1 micrograms to about 2 milligrams per day.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said vitamin D compound is administered daily to said mammal for about 1 week to about 8 months.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said vitamin D compound is administered orally in a liquid vehicle ingestible by and non-toxic to said mammal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said vitamin D compound is combined with a non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carrier prior to administration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound used is vitamin D₃.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound used is 1,15-dihydroxyvitamin D₃.

9. A method of improving reproductive functions in a mammal demonstrating diminished reproductive function, said diminished reproductive function being responsive to vitamin D, which comprises the steps of:

determining whether said mammal has a vitamin D deficiency; and

administering to said mammal an amount of a vitamin D compound sufficient to improve fertility and reproductive capacity of said mammal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said vitamin D compound is selected from the group consisting of vitamin D₃, vitamin D₂, 1α

-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

-hydroxyvitamin D₂ 1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₂, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃,25-hydroxyvitamin D₂, 24,24-difluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 24,24-difluoro-1α

, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 24-fluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 24-fluoro-1α

, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 2β

- fluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 2β

-fluoro-1α

-hydroxyvitamin D₂, 2β

-fluoro-1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, 26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-1α

, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

, 24,25-trihydroxyvitamin D₃, 25,26-dihydroxyvitaminD₃, 1α

, 25,26-trihydroxyvitamin D₃, 23,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 23,25,26-trihydroxyvitamin D₃, and the corresponding 1α

-hydroxylated forms, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ -26,23-lactone and its 1α

-hydroxylated derivative, the side chain nor, dinor, trinor and tetranor-analogs of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ and of 1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 1α

-hydroxypregnacalciferol, and its homo and dihomo derivatives, 1α

25-dihydroxy-24-epi-vitamin D₂, 24-homo-1,15-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ 24-dihomo-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, 24-trihomo-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ and the corresponding 26- or 26,27-homo, dihomo or trihomo analogs of 1α

,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the vitamin D compound is administered in an amount of from about 0.1 micrograms to about 2 milligrams per day.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said vitamin D compound is administered daily to said mammal for about 1 week to about 8 months.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said vitamin D compound is administered orally in a liquid vehicle ingestible by and non-toxic to said mammal.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said vitamin D compound is combined with a non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carrier prior to administration.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the compound used is vitamin D₃.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the compound used is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃.