ESTRIOL THERAPY FOR AUTOIMMUNE AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES AND DISORDERS
The present invention discloses administering steroid hormones to mammals to treat autoimmune related diseases, including post-partum auto immune diseases. Most preferably the invention uses estrogens, estranges, estriol or estrogen receptor active agents to prevent or ameliorate clinical symptoms of these Th1-mediated (cell-mediated) autoimmune diseases known to either have an initial onset following the birth of a child or which are exacerbated in patients in the post-partum period.
1 - 47 . (canceled)
48 . A method of treating a secondary progressive form of multiple sclerosis comprising administering to a patient a pharmaceutical composition comprising estriol at a therapeutically effective dosage in an effective dosage form.
49 . The method of claim 48 wherein the therapeutically effective dosage is about 0.001 to about 16 milligrams about every 24 hours.
50 . The method of claim 48 wherein the treatment results in patient serum concentrations of estriol of about 2 to about 30 nanograms per milliliter.
51 . The method of claim 48 further comprising administering to the patient progesterone in an effective dosage in an effective dosage form.
52 . The method of claim 51 wherein the progesterone is administered in a dosage of 100 milligrams per day.
53 . A method of treating a secondary progressive form of multiple sclerosis comprising administering to a patient an oral pharmaceutical composition comprising estriol at a dosage of about 8 milligrams about every 24 hours.
54 . The method of claim 53 wherein the treatment results in patient serum concentrations of estriol of about 2 to about 30 nanograms per milliliter.
55 . The method of claim 53 further comprising administering to the patient progesterone in an effective dosage in an effective dosage form.
56 . The method of claim 53 wherein the progesterone is administered in a dosage of 100 milligrams per day.