Method of treating disease involving myelin and/or axonal loss

A method of treating neurodegeneration associated with inflammation in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound of formula I

• wherein
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of OH, OZ, O, and ═O,
• wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 heterocycloalkyl, and C6-30 aryl;
• R2, R3, R4, and R5 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, and C2-12 alkynyl;
• R6 and R7 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, thiol, cyano, —NCS, C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 heterocycloalkyl, C6-30 aryl, C1-12 alkoxy, C1-12 alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylsulfonyloxy, carboxyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, hydroxyalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxyaryl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkylcarbonylaryl, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, arylaminoalkyl, diarylaminoalkyl, alkylcarbonylamino, and haloalkylcarbonylamino, or
• R6 and R7 together form ═O;
• R8, R9, R10, and R11 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, thiol, cyano, —NCS, C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 heterocycloalkyl, C6-30 aryl, C1-12 alkoxy, C1-12 alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylsulfonyloxy, carboxyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, hydroxyalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxyaryl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkylcarbonylaryl, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, arylaminoalkyl, diarylaminoalkyl, alkylcarbonylamino, and haloalkylcarbonylamino;
• optionally one of R6 and R7 and one of R8 and R9 can be absent such that a double bond joins the two carbon atoms to which the remaining of one of R6 and R7 and one of R8 and R9 are attached;
• and
• n is 0 or 1;
• provided that the neurodegeneration is not caused by ataxia telangiectasia (AT).

A method of reducing myelin and/or axonal loss in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound of formula I

• wherein
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of OH, OZ, O, and ═O,
• wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 heterocycloalkyl, and C6-30 aryl;
• R2, R3, R4, and R5 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, and C2-12 alkynyl;
• hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, thiol, cyano, —NCS, C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 heterocycloalkyl, C6-30 aryl, C1-12 alkoxy, C1-12 alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylsulfonyloxy, carboxyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, hydroxyalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxyaryl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkylcarbonylaryl, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, arylaminoalkyl, diarylaminoalkyl, alkylcarbonylamino, and haloalkylcarbonylamino, or
• R6 and R7 together form ═O;
• R8, R9, R10, and R11 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, thiol, cyano, —NCS, C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C3-8 heterocycloalkyl, C6-30 aryl, C1-12 alkoxy, C1-12 alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylsulfonyloxy, carboxyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, hydroxyalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxyaryl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkylcarbonylaryl, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, arylaminoalkyl, diarylaminoalkyl, alkylcarbonylamino, and haloalkylcarbonylamino;
• optionally one of R6 and R7 and one of R8 and R9 can be absent such that a double bond joins the two carbon atoms to which the remaining of one of R6 and R7 and one of R8 and R9 are attached;
• and
• n is 0 or 1.