PROANTHOCYANIDINS FOR THE TREATMENT OF AMYLOID AND ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN DISEASES
A method of treating an amyloid disease, or a disease characterized by IAPP amyloid fibrils or islet amyloid deposits, in a mammalian subject. The method includes administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a various disclosed procyanidins or proanthocyanidins characterized by disclosed general formulae. A pharmaceutical composition and use of the composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a procyanidin and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The therapeutic amount of the proanthocyanidin is selected for efficacy in treating IAPP amyloid fibrils or islet amyloid deposits in a mammalian subject.
1 . A method for reducing, disrupting and/or causing the disassembly of IAPP amyloid fibrils or islet amyloid deposits in a mammal by administering a procyanidin to the mammal.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the procyanidin is a dimer or trimer of epicatechin and/or catechin units.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the procyanidin dimer is selected from the group consisting of procyanidin type B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, and B8.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the procyanidin dimer is epicatechin-4β->8-epicatechin.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the procyanidin dimer is catechin-4β->8-epicatechin.
7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the procyanidin dimer is epiafzelechin-4β->8-epicatechin.
8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the procyanidin trimer is epicatechin-4β->8-epicatechin-4β->8-epicatechin.