US 201702094.13A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2017/0209413 A1 WREEN (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 27, 2017 (54) USE OF ASPARAGUSIC ACID AND Publication Classification DERVATIVES THEREOF TO TREAT SYMPTOMIS AND DISORDERS OF (51) Int. Cl. NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE A63L/385 (2006.01) A6IR 9/00 (2006.01) (71) Applicant: Joseph WREEN, St. Helena Island, SC A636/88 (2006.01) (US) (52) U.S. Cl. CPC ............ A6 IK3I/385 (2013.01); A61K 36/88 (72) Inventor: Joseph WREEN, St. Helena Island, SC (2013.01); A61K 9/0053 (2013.01) (US) (57) ABSTRACT (21) Appl. No.: 15/416,450 Embodiments disclosed herein provide methods for treating (22) Filed: Jan. 26, 2017 and/or ameliorating symptoms of certain neurological dis eases. The methods encompass administration of composi Related U.S. Application Data tions comprising 1,2-dithiolane-4-carboxylic acid (aspara (60) Provisional application No. 62/287,171, filed on Jan. gusic acid) and derivatives and condensation products 26, 2016. thereof. US 2017/02094.13 A1 Jul. 27, 2017 USE OF ASPARAGUSC ACID AND asparagusic acid, derivatives of asparagusic acid, conden DERVATIVES THEREOF TO TREAT sation products of asparagusic acid or its derivatives, or a SYMPTOMIS AND DISORDERS OF combination thereof. In certain example embodiments, the NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE subject suffers from one or more of tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. In certain example embodi CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED ments, the subject suffers from Parkinson's disease. In one APPLICATION example embodiment, the composition comprises asparagu 0001. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provi sic acid. In certain example embodiments, the condensation sional Application No. 62/287.171 filed on Jan. 26, 2016. product comprises asparagusic acid, or a derivative therefor, The entire contents of the above-identified priority applica and an amino acid, such as arginine. In certain example tion is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. embodiments, the condensation product is asparaptine. 0006. In yet another aspect descried herein, a method for TECHNICAL FIELD increasing copper and/or Sulfur concentration in nerve cells and/or restoring or maintaining proper copper and/or Sulfur 0002 The subject matter disclosed herein is generally homeostasis in nerve cells comprises administering to a directed to methods of treating and/or ameliorating Symp Subject in need thereof an effective amount of a composition toms of certain neurological diseases using asparagusic acid comprising asparagusic acid, derivatives of asparagusic and derivatives thereof. acid, condensation products of asparagusic acid or deriva tives of asparagusic acid, or combinations thereof. In certain BACKGROUND example embodiments, the Subject Suffers from one or more 0003. In recent years it has been shown that copper plays of tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. In an important role in the health of the human brain. Improper certain example embodiments, the subject suffers from Par copper oxidation has been linked to several neurological kinson's disease. In one example embodiment, the compo disorders including Alzheimers, Parkinson's, Menkes and sition comprises asparagusic acid. In certain example Wilson's disease. (10, 11, 12). Copper has also been iden embodiments, the condensation product comprises aspara tified as a critical cofactor in enzymes that activates the gusic acid, or a derivative therefor, and an amino acid. Such brain's neurotransmitters in response to stimuli. A recent as arginine. In certain example embodiments, the conden study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's sation product is asparaptine. Lawerence Berkeley National Laboratory has shown that 0007. These and other aspects, objects, features, and proper copper levels are also essential to the health of the advantages of the example embodiments will become appar brain at rest. (12). Traditionally, copper has been regarded as ent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon consider a static metabolic cofactor that must be buried in enzymes to ation of the following detailed description of illustrated protect against the generation of reactive oxygen species and example embodiments. Subsequent free radical damage. However, it has also been shown that dynamic and loosely bound pools of copper can DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE modulate neural activity and are essential for the normal EMBODIMENTS development of synapses and circuits. (13). Further, many proteins involved in carrying and transporting copper into Overview the cell use a copper-Sulfur linkage via the amino acid 0008 Embodiments disclosed herein provide methods cysteine or methionine. (4, 14, 15, 16). Therefore, what are for treating and/or ameliorating symptoms of certain neu needed are compositions that may be used to maintain rological diseases. The methods encompass administration proper copper levels and/or sulfur levels in the brain in order of compositions comprising 1,2-dithiolane-4-carboxylic to Sustain normal and healthy brain function. acid (asparagusic acid) and derivatives and condensation SUMMARY products thereof. While not being limited to the following hypothesis, Applicant believes that asparagusic acid and its 0004. In certain aspects described herein, a method for derivatives may act as a reducing agent of copper, reducing treating a disease characterized by improper copper and/or Cu" to Cu'. In order to enter nerve cells, coppers must be sulfur concentration in nerve cells of the central nervous in the Cu' state (5, 14). As noted above, improper copper system comprises administering to a Subject in need thereof balance both inside and outside the cell is known to con an effective amount of a composition comprising asparagu tribute to a number of neurological diseases and disorders. sic acid, derivatives of asparagusic acid, condensation prod In addition to maintaining proper copper homeostasis, ucts of asparagusic acid or its derivatives, or a combination asparagusic acid and its derivatives may also help regulate thereof. In certain example embodiments, the subject suffers and maintain proper Sulfur concentrations in nerve cells. from nerve cell malfunction and/or death in the substantia 0009. As used herein, “treatment' or “treating includes nigra part of the brain. In certain other aspects, the Subject both a complete restoration of normal neurological function suffers from Parkinson's disease. In certain example and/or cessation of nerve cell death or malfunction as well embodiments, the condensation product comprises aspara as amelioration in the severity or frequency of symptoms gusic acid or a derivative therefor and an amino acid, Such associated with the disease or disorder as arginine. In certain example embodiments, the conden sation product is asparaptine. Restoring and Maintaining Proper Copper and Sulfur 0005. In another aspect described herein, a method for Concentrations restoring impaired motor function associated with neuro logical diseases comprises administering to a subject in need 0010 Thus in one aspect, the present application pro thereof an effective amount of a composition comprising vides a method of increasing copper and/or Sulfur concen US 2017/02094.13 A1 Jul. 27, 2017 tration in nerve cells and/or restoring or maintaining proper copper and/or Sulfur homeostasis in nerve cells, comprising (V) administering to a Subject in need thereof an effective NH O amount of a composition comprising one or more com l pounds selected from the following: HN N OH (I) S-S S-S 0013 Therefore, in certain example embodiments the composition may comprise one or more condensation prod ucts of the compounds of formula (I) to (IV), or a mixture (II) of the compounds of formula (I) to (IV) and condensation products thereof. Restoring Motor Function 0014 Some neurological diseases and disorders have symptoms that manifest as reduction or loss of normal motor function. Administration of the compounds disclosed herein may reduce the severity or frequency of motor dysfunction and/or restore normal motor function. Therefore, in another example embodiment, the present application provides (III) methods of restoring impaired motor function associated with neurological diseases comprising administering to a Subject in need thereof a composition comprising one or more of the compounds of formulas (I) to (IV), one or more condensation products of the compounds of formulas (I) to (IV), or a mixture of the one or more of the compounds of formulas (I) to (IV) and one or more condensation products of the compounds of formulas (I) to (IV). 0015. In certain example embodiments, the composition comprises asparagusic acid, asparagusic acid methyl ester, (IV) S-SH asparagusic ethyl ester, asparagusic acid glucoside; aspara gusic acid S-oxide, asparagusic acid S-oxide methyl ester, dihydroasparagusic acid, or S-acetyldihydroasparagusic acid, or a combination thereof. In one example embodiment, the compound is asparagusic acid. O R1, 0016. In certain example embodiments, the composition comprises a condensation product of one of more of the compounds of formula (I) to (IV). In certain example wherein R1 is H, CH, OH, or OCH R2 is H, CH, OH, or embodiments, the condensation product results from the OCH R3 is H, CH, OH, or O CH and, R4 is H, CH, condensation of one of the compounds of formulas (I) to OCH. (IV) with an amino acid. In certain example embodiments, the amino acid is arginine. In certain example embodiments, 0011. In certain