Combinations for the treatment of inflammatory disorders

1. A composition formulated for topical administration, said composition comprising as the sole active ingredients a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid in amounts that, when administered together to a patient having an immunoinflammatory disorder, inhibit or reduce inflammation or otherwise treat said disorder, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of naprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, and protriptyline.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said corticosteroid is in a low dose.

3. A composition formulated for inhalation administration, said composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid in amounts that, when administered together to a patient having an immunoinflammatory disorder, inhibit or reduce inflammation or otherwise treat said disorder.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein said corticosteroid is in a low dose.

5. A method for treating an immunoinflammatory disorder in patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a tricyclic antidepressant and a low dose corticosteroid, wherein the tricyclic antidepressant and the corticosteroid are administered simultaneously, or within 14 days of each other, in amounts that together are sufficient to treat said disorder.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is administered topically.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said immunoinflammatory disorder is selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, stroke-induced brain cell death, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, asthma, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, and Sjögren's syndrome.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotilinc, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, doxepin, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, amitryptiline, and protriptyline.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.

10. A method for treating an immunoinflammatory disorder selected from psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, stroke-induced brain cell death, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, asthma, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, systemic lupus crythemnatosus, sclecroderma, systemic sclerosis, and Sjögren's syndrome in a patient in need thereof; said method comprising administering to said patient a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamnoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, amitriplyline, desipramine, clomipramine, doxepin, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, and protriptyline; wherein the tricyclic antidepressant and the corticosteroid are administered simultaneously, or within 14 days of each other, in amounts that together are sufficient to treat said disorder.

11. The method of claim 10 , whercin said tricyclic antidepressant is administered topically.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.

13. A method for treating rheumatoid arthritis in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, doxepin, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, and protriptyline; wherein the tricyclic antidepressant and the corticosteroid are administered simultaneously, or within 14 days of each other, in amounts that together are sufficient to treat said rheumatoid arthritis.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is administered topically.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.

16. A method for treating an immunoinflammatory disorder in patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a tricyclic antidepresant selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and protriptyline, and a corticosteroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and the corticosteroid are administered simultaneously or within 14 days of each other in amounts that together are sufficient to treat said disorder and said tricyclic antidepressant is topically administered to said patient.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said immunoinflammatory disorder is selected from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, strokc-induced brain cell death, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, asthma, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, and Sjögren's syndrome.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said corticosteroid is topically administered to said patient.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein said corticosteroid is systemically administered to said patient.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the corticosteroid is administered at a low dose.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.

22. A method for treating an immunoinflammatory disorder selected from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, stroke-induced brain cell death, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, asthma, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, systemic lupus crythematosus, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, and Sjögren's syndrome, said method comprising administering to a patient a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and the corticosteroid are administered simultaneously or within 14 days of each other in amounts that together are sufficient to treat said disorder and said tricyclic antidepressant is topically administered to said patient.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said corticosteroid is topically administered to said patient.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein said corticosteroid is systemically administered to said patient.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the corticosteroid is administered at a low dose.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and sand corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.

27. A method for treating an immunoinflammatory disorder in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and the corticosteroid are administered simultaneously or within 14 days of each other in amounts that together are sufficient to treat said disorder and said tricyclic antidepressant is administered by inhalation to said patient.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said corticosteroid is administered by inhalation to said patient.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the corticosteroid is administered at a low dose.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.

31. A composition formulated for inhalation administration, said composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid.

32. The composition of claim 31 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is nortriptyline.

33. A composition formulated for oral administration, said composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid.

34. The composition of claim 33 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is nortriptyline.

35. A method for treating asthma in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said composition is formulated for inhalation administration.

36. The method of claim 35 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is nortriptyline.

37. A method for treating asthma in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said composition is formulated for oral administration.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is nortriptyline.

39. A composition formulated for oral, rectal, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, inhalation, vaginal, or ophthalmic administration, said composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosieroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and protriptyline.

40. The composition of claim 39 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage between 1-600 mg.

41. The composition of claim 40 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage between 1-400 mg.

42. The composition of claim 41 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage between 1-300 mg.

43. The composition of claim 39 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.05-200 mg.

44. The composition of claim 43 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.1-60 mg.

45. The composition of claim 44 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.1-5 mg.

46. The composition of claim 39 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of amoxapine between 1-600 mg.

47. The composition of claim 46 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of amoxapine between 1-400 mg.

48. The composition of claim 47 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of amoxapine between 1-300 mg.

49. The composition of claim 39 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of prednisolone between 0.05-200 mg.

50. The composition of claim 49 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of prednisolone between 0.1-60 mg.

51. The composition of claim 50 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of prednisolone between 0.1-5 mg.

52. A composition formulated for oral, rectal, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, inhalation, vaginal, or ophthalmic administration, said composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid,

wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and protriptyline;

wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage between 1-300 mg; and

wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.1-60 mg.

53. The composition of claim 52 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.1-5 mg.

54. A composition formulated for oral, rectal, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, inhalation, vaginal, or ophthalmic administration, said composition comprising a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid,

wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8-hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and protriptyline;

wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of amoxapine between 1-300 mg; and

wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of prednisolone between 0.1-60 mg.

55. The composition of claim 54 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage equivalent to a dosage of prednisolone between 0.1-5 mg.

56. A composition formulated for topical administration, said composition comprising as the sole active ingredients a tricyclic antidepressant and a corticosteroid, wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of maprotiline, amoxapine, 8- hydroxyamoxapine, 7-hydroxyamoxapine, loxapine, 8-hydroxyloxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, trimipramine, nortriptyline, and protriptyline.

57. The composition of claim 34 , wherein said corticosteroid is prednisolone.

58. The composition of claim 57 , wherein said tricyclic antidepressant is present at a dosage between 1-300 mg and said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.1-60 mg.

59. The composition of claim 58 , wherein said corticosteroid is present at a dosage between 0.1-5 mg.