Methods of treating oral mucositis

1. A method comprising parenterally administering a dose of a pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex to a mammal to lessen the severity of a mucositis affecting the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, wherein the mammal is afflicted with cancer and the dose of the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered on the day before or the day of, but prior to or simultaneous with the mammal receiving either or both of (i) a dose of chemotherapy treatment, or (ii) a dose of radiation therapy, the dose of the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex being therapeutically sufficient, without requiring the administration of any additional doses of the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex after either or both of the dose of chemotherapy treatment or dose of radiation therapy, to lessen the severity of the mucositis affecting the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract resulting from the delivered chemotherapy and/or radiation dose,

and wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is a compound represented by the formula:

wherein

W is an unsubstituted pyridino moiety;

U and V are trans-cyclohexanyl fused rings;

R 1 , R 2 , R′ 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R′ 5 , R 6 , R′ 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R′ 9 , and R 10 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkenyl, alkenylcycloalkenyl, alkenylcycloalkyl, alkyl, alkylcycloalkenyl, alkylcycloalkyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkylcycloalkyl, cycloalkenylalkyl, and heterocyclyl, and aralkyl radicals and radicals attached to the α-carbon or α-amino acids,

M is Mn 2+ or Mn 3+ ;

and X, Y and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of halide, oxo, aquo, hydroxo, alcohol, phenol, dioxygen, peroxo, hydroperoxo, alkylperoxo, arylperoxo, ammonia, alkylamino, arylamino, heterocycloalkyl amino, heterocycloaryl amino, amine oxides, hydrazine, alkyl hydrazine, aryl hydrazine, nitric oxide, cyanide, cyanate, thiocyanate, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, alkyl nitrile, aryl nitrile, alkyl isonitrile, aryl isonitrile, nitrate, nitrite, azido, alkyl sulfonic acid, aryl sulfonic acid, alkyl sulfoxide, aryl sulfoxide, alkyl aryl sulfoxide, alkyl sulfenic acid, aryl sulfenic acid, alkyl sulfinic acid, aryl sulfinic acid, alkyl thiol carboxylic acid, aryl thiol carboxylic acid, alkyl thiol thiocarboxylic acid, aryl thiol thiocarboxylic acid, alkyl carboxylic acid, aryl carboxylic acid, urea, alkyl urea, aryl urea, alkyl aryl urea, thiourea, alkyl thiourea, aryl thiourea, alkyl aryl thiourea, sulfate, sulfite, bisulfate, bisulfite, thiosulfate, thiosulfite, hydrosulfite, alkyl phosphine, aryl phosphine, alkyl phosphine oxide, aryl phosphine oxide, alkyl aryl phosphine oxide, alkyl phosphine sulfide, aryl phosphine sulfide, alkyl aryl phosphine sulfide, alkyl phosphonic acid, aryl phosphonic acid, alkyl phosphinic acid, aryl phosphinic acid, alkyl phosphinous acid, aryl phosphinous acid, phosphate, thiophosphate, phosphite, pyrophosphite, triphosphate, hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, alkyl guanidino, aryl guanidino, alkyl aryl guanidino, alkyl carbamate, aryl carbamate, alkyl aryl carbamate, alkyl thiocarbamate, aryl thiocarbamate, alkylaryl thiocarbamate, alkyl dithiocarbamate, aryl dithiocarbamate, alkylaryl dithiocarbamate, bicarbonate, carbonate, perchlorate, chlorate, chlorite, hypochlorite, perbromate, bromate, bromite, hypobromite, tetrahalomanganate, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluoroantimonate, hypophosphite, iodate, periodate, metaborate, tetraaryl borate, tetra alkyl borate, tartrate, salicylate, succinate, citrate, ascorbate, saccharinate, amino acid, hydroxamic acid, thiotosylate, and anions of ion exchange resins, or the corresponding anions thereof;

or X, Y and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of charge-neutralizing anions which are derived from any monodentate or polydentate coordinating ligand and a ligand system and the corresponding anion thereof;

or X, Y and Z are independently attached to one or more of R 1 , R 2 , R′ 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R′ 5 , R 6 , R′ 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R′ 9 , and R 10 ;

and n is an integer from 0 to 3.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein M is Mn 2+ .

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , R′ 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R′ 5 , R 6 , R′ 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R′ 9 , and R 10 are each hydrogen.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human patient.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered prior to or simultaneous with the dose of chemotherapy.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered to the mammal prior to the mammal receiving the dose of chemotherapy.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered to the mammal simultaneously with the mammal receiving the dose of chemotherapy.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered prior to or simultaneous with the dose of radiation therapy.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered to the mammal prior to the mammal receiving a dose of radiation therapy.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered to the mammal simultaneously with the mammal receiving the dose of radiation therapy.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein an initial dose of the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered prior to onset of injury to the mucosal lining resulting from the delivered chemotherapy and/or radiation dose.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered intravenously or subcutaneously.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex is administered intravenously.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the mammal is afflicted with a tumor of the head and/or neck.