NEW MEDICAL USE

摘要

The present invention relates to sulphated compounds containing one to twelve monosaccharide subunits, for the treatment or prevention of anon-gastrointestinal disease or conditionby gastrointestinal absorption, wherein none of the monosaccharide subunits is pyranosyl with N-substitution at the 2-position relative to the anomeric carbon of the pyranosyl subunit. The present invention also relates to corresponding methods of treating or preventing anon-gastrointestinal disease or condition. Additionally, the present invention relates to a method of modifying, or testing for a modification in,the level of a cytokine in vivo, ex vivoor in vitro, said method comprising contacting a sulphated compound with a cell, wherein the compound comprises at least one monosaccharide subunit. The present invention also relates to unit dosage forms comprising at least 2.5g of any of the above compounds, to unit dosage forms comprising the molar equivalent of at least 1 g of any of the above compounds in theirfree acid and/or base form, and to unit dosage forms comprising any of the above compounds other than sucralfate.Preferred compounds of the present invention are sucrose octasulphate and sucralfate.