Green porphyrins in the treatment of atherosclerosis

摘要

A method to prevent or inhibit the development of arterial plaque in atherosclerotic blood vessels, comprising the steps of: (a) administering to a subject an amount of a green porphyrin compound effective to prevent or inhibit the development of arterial plaque; and (b) allowing the inhibition to occur in the absence of irradiation with light absorbed by the green porphyrin; or a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or inhibiting the development of arterial plaque. The composition comprises: (a) an amount of a green porphyrin compound effective to prevent or inhibit the development when administered to a subject in need of such treatment, even in the absence of irradiation with light absorbed by the green porphyrin; and (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The green porphyrins are selected from the formulas shown above. Wherein R1 and R2 are independently carboxymethoxy or carboethoxy; R3 is -CH2CH2COOH, amide, ester or acyl hydrozone; and R4 is vinyl.