Method for using potassium channel agonists for delivering a medicant to an abnormal brain region and/or a malignant tumor

摘要

Disclosed are methods of selectively delivering a medicant to an abnormal brain region and/or to a malignant tumor in a mammalian subject, including a human. A medicant is administered simultaneously or substantially simultaneously with a calcium- or ATP-dependent potassium channel [KCa or KATP] activator (other than bradykinin or a bradykinin analog), such as a direct potassium channel agonist or an indirect potassium channel activator, such as an activator of soluble guanylyl cyclase (e.g., nitric oxide or a nitric oxide donor) or an activator of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, whereby the medicant is delivered selectively to the cells of the abnormal brain region and/or to the tumor, compared to normal tissues. Thus, among the disclosures is a method of treating a malignant tumor in a human subject. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions that combine a potassium channel activator together with a medicant and a kit for enhancing the delivery of a medicant to an abnormal brain region and/or to a malignant tumor.