Compounds for treating fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

#The present invention relates to the use of neuromuscular agents, and the pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof, for the treatment of nervous system disorders, and more particularly to the use of compounds of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,273,975, 5,436,240, 5,594,024, 5,462,947, and 4,526,892 for the treatment of symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

#Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also referred to as chronic fatigue immune disorders syndrome, yuppie flu; fatigue—chronic, and chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, is a clinically defined condition characterized by profound tiredness or fatigue. In addition, patients with CFS generally report various nonspecific symptoms, including weakness, muscle aches and pains, excessive sleep, malaise, fever, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, impaired memory and/or mental concentration, insomnia, and depression. The exact cause of CFS is unknown and, to date, there are no specific tests to confirm the diagnosis of CFS, though a variety of tests are usually done to exclude other possible causes of the symptoms.

#Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), also referred to as fibromyalgia, fibromyositis, fibrositis, or myofasical pain syndrome, is a rheumatic condition generally characterized by widespread pain in fibrous tissues, muscles, tendons, and other connective tissues, fatigue, headaches, lack of restorative sleep, and numbness. Thus, FMS shares many clinical features with CFS. Similar to CFS, there are no specific diagnostic tests for FMS.

#Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, practice the present invention to its fullest extent. The following detailed examples describe how to prepare the various compounds and/or perform the various processes of the invention and are to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitations of the preceding disclosure in any way whatsoever. Those skilled in the art will promptly recognize appropriate variations from the procedures both as to reactants and as to reaction conditions and techniques.

#Preparation 1 (R)-Naproxen chloride

#R-naproxen (Can. J Chem., 72(1), 142-5 (1994), 260 g), methylene chloride (3.33 kg) and DMF (8.2 ml) are added to a reactor. Oxalyl chloride (191.8 g) is slowly added to this mixture. After addition of the oxalyl chloride, the slurry is stirred at 5 to 10° and then slowly warmed to 20-25°. The resulting mixture is concentrated to remove the methylene chloride, branched octane is added to the concentrate and the mixture is again concentrated. More branched octane is added to the concentrate and the mixture is cooled to 0° and stirred to crystallize. The crystal slurry is filtered, the crystal cake is washed with octane and dried at 20-25° to obtain the title compound.