Sex steroid precursors alone or in combination with a selective estrogen receptor modulator and/or with estrogens and/or a type 5 cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor for the prevention and treatment of vaginal dryness and sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women

摘要

Novel methods for treating or reducing the likelihood of acquiring vaginal dysfunctions, more particularly vaginal dryness and dyspareunia, leading to sexual dysfunction and low sexual desire and performance , in susceptible warm-blooded animals including humans involving administration of a sex steroid precursor. Further administration of estrogen or selective estrogen receptor modulator, particularly those selected from the group consisting of Raloxifene, Arzoxifene, Tamoxifen, Droloxifene, Toremifene, Iodoxifene, GW 5638, TSE-424, ERA-923, and lasofoxifene, and more particularly compounds having the general structure:;
is specifically disclosed for the medical treatment and/or inhibition of development of some of these above-mentioned diseases. Pharmaceutical compositions for delivery of active ingredient(s) and kit(s) useful to the invention are also disclosed.

主权项

1. A method of treating or reducing the likelihood of acquiring a vaginal disease or condition caused by the atrophy of either or both the layer lamina propria and/or the layer muscularis of the vagina in postmenopausal women, said disease or condition selected from the group consisting of atrophic vaginitis, vaginal atrophy, narrowing of vaginal cavity and shortening of the vaginal cavity, said method comprising administering a sex steroid precursor selected from the group consisting of dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androst-5-ene-3β3,17β-diol and 4-androsten-3,17-dione to a patient in need of said treatment, the method further comprising the step of administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of a selective estrogen receptor modulator for uterine and mammary gland protection against cancer as part of a combination therapy, without administering estrogen to said patient.