Method for immunosuppression

A method for treating autoimmune disease which comprises administering an effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR17## wherein R.sup.1 is hydroxy or pharmaceutically acceptable protected hydroxy selected from 1-(lower alkylthio)(lower)alkyloxy, tri(lower)alkylsilyloxy, lower alkyl-diphenylsilyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic carboxylic acyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic sulfonic acyloxy, and pharmaceutically acceptable organic carbamic acyloxy,
• R.sup.2 is hydrogen, hydroxy or lower alkanoyloxy,
• R.sup.3 is methyl, ethyl, propyl or allyl,
• n is an integer of 1 or 2, and
• the symbol of a line and dotted line is a single bond or a double bond,
• or pharmaceutically acceptable basic salt thereof to a subject in need of said treatment.

A method for treating infectious diseases which comprises administering an effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR18## wherein R.sup.1 is hydroxy or pharmaceutically acceptable protected hydroxy selected from 1-(lower alkylthio)(lower)alkyloxy, tri(lower)alkylsilyloxy, lower alkyl-diphenylsilyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic carboxylic acyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic sulfonic acyloxy, and pharmaceutically acceptable organic carbamic acyloxy,
• R.sup.2 is hydrogen, hydroxy or lower alkanoyloxy,
• R.sup.3 is methyl, ethyl, propyl or allyl,
• n is an integer of 1 or 2, and
• the symbol of a line and dotted line is a single bond or a double bond,
• provided that when R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each hydroxy, n is an integer of 2 and the symbol of a line and dotted line is a single bond, then R.sup.3 is methyl, propyl or allyl, or pharmaceutically acceptable basic salt thereof to a subject in need of said treatment.

A method for treatment of diseases beneficially treated by external administration of compounds having immunosuppressive activity in a patient in need of such treatment, which comprises externally administering to such patient a compound of the formula:

• ##STR19## wherein R.sup.1 is hydroxy or pharmaceutically acceptable protected hydroxy selected from 1-(lower alkylthio)(lower)alkyloxy, tri(lower)alkylsilyloxy, lower alkyl-diphenylsilyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic carboxylic acyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic sulfonic acyloxy, and pharmaceutically acceptable organic carbamic acyloxy,
• R.sup.2 is hydrogen, hydroxy or lower alkanoyloxy,
• R.sup.3 is methyl, ethyl, propyl or allyl,
• n is an integer of 1 or 2, and
• the symbol of a line and dotted line is a single bond or a double bond,
• or pharmaceutically acceptable basic salt thereof.

A method for treatment of diseases beneficially treated by administration of compounds having immunosuppressive activity in a patient in need of such treatment, which comprises administering to such patient a compound of the formula:

• ##STR20## wherein R.sup.1 is hydroxy or pharmaceutically acceptable protected hydroxy selected from 1-(lower alkylthio)(lower)alkyloxy, tri(lower)alkylsilyloxy, lower alkyl-diphenylsilyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic carboxylic acyloxy, pharmaceutically acceptable organic sulfonic acyloxy, and pharmaceutically acceptable organic carbamic acyloxy,
• R.sup.2 is hydrogen, hydroxy or lower alkanoyloxy,
• R.sup.3 is methyl, ethyl, propyl or allyl,
• n is an integer of 1 or 2, and
• the symbol of a line and dotted line is a single bond or a double bond,
• or pharmaceutically acceptable basic salt thereof.