Use of gallium salts to treat disorders of calcium homeostasis

摘要

The present invention comprises a method of preventing or treating a disorder associated with accelerated loss of calcium from bone in a human individual comprising administering to the individual a pharmaceutically acceptable gallium compound. Of especial importance among the disorders which may be thus prevented or treated are hypercalcemia, accelerated bone loss associated with osteopenia, osteoporosis, bone metastasis due to malignant tumors, and hyperparathyroidism. In the method of the present invention gallium compounds may be administered by any and all routes. Although all biocompatible, soluble compounds of gallium may be used in the present invention, gallium nitrate is preferred, most preferably in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.