Steroidal compounds

1. A steroidal compound or a salt thereof having the following general formula:

A—B—T c —Y—NO 2   (I)

wherein:

A=R—, wherein R is a steroidal drug radical as defined hereunder,

B=—T B —X 2 —T BI — wherein

T B is (CO);

T BI is S, NH;

X 2 is a bivalent bridging group such that the corresponding precursor of B, having the formula Z—T B —X 2 —T BI —Z′ in which Z and Z′ are independently H or OH, is selected from the following compounds:

T c is (CO);

Y has the following meanings:

a linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkylenoxy group or a cycloalkylene having from 5 to 7 carbon atoms, in the cycloalkylenic ring one or more carbon atoms can be substituted by heteroatoms, the ring can have side chains of R′ type, R′ being a linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkyl; or

wherein n3 is an integer from 0 to 3 and n3′ is an integer from 1 to 3,

wherein R 1f =H, CH 3 and nf′ is an integer from 1 to 6;

R has the following formula:

wherein

in substitution of the hydrogen atom of the CH groups or of the two hydrogen atoms of the CH 2 groups mentioned in the general formula, the following substituents can be present:

in position 1–2: there may be a double bond;

in position 3: there may be C═O, —OH;

in position 4–5: there may be a double bond;

in position 6: there may be —Cl, —F, —CH 3 ;

in position 7: there may be —Cl, —OH;

in position 9: there may be —Cl, —F;

in position 11: there may be —OH, C═O, —Cl, —CH 3 ;

in position 16: there may be —CH 3 , —OH;

in position 17: there may be —OH, —CH 3 ;

in position 16–17: there may be the following groups:

R′″ and R′, equal or different from each other, are hydrogen or CH 3 ; and

R″ is C(O)CH 2 O—.

2. The steroidal compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 wherein the steroidal drug radical is derived from one of the following: Budesonide, Hydrocortisone, Beclomethasone, Betamethasone, Chloroprednisone, Clocortolone, Cortisone, Corticosterone, Desonide, Desoximethasone, Dexamethasone, Diflucortolone, Flumethasone, Flunisolide, Fluprednisolone, Flurandrenolide, Meprednisone, Methylprednisolone, Paramethasone, Prednisolone, Prednisone, or Triamcinolone.

3. The steroidal compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the precursor of B is

4. The steroidal compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 wherein Y is a linear or branched C 1 to C 6 alkylenoxy group.

5. The steroidal compounds or salts thereof according to claim 1 selected from the group consisting of:

(11β)-11-17-dihydroxy-21-[N-acetyl-S-(4-nitroxybutyroyl) cisteinyloxy]pregne-1,4-diene-3,20-dione;

(11β)-11-17-dihydroxy-21-[N-acetyl-S-(4-nitroxybutyroyl) cisteinyloxy]pregne-4-ene-3,20-dione; and

(11β, 16α)-9-fluoro-11-17-dihydroxy-21 -[N-acetyl-S-(4-nitroxybutyroyl)cisteinyloxy]-16-methylpregne-1,4-diene-3,20-dione.

6. A method for the treatment of oxidative stress and/or endothelial dysfunctions comprising administering the steroidal compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 .

7. A method for the treatment of inflammation comprising administering the steroidal compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 .

8. A pharmaceutical formulation comprising the steroidal compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier.