Use of disulfiram to prevent cardiovascular damage

Abstract

A method is disclosed for reducing cardiovascular damage caused by hypoxic or ischemic events such as heart attack and cardiac arrest. This method involves the administration of disulfiram, or a suitable salt or analog of disulfiram, to a mammal in need of such treatment. Disulfiram can inhibit enzymes such as xanthine oxidase which would otherwise generate oxygenated free radicals, which are highly reactive chemical compounds that non-specifically attack and damage essential molecules and cells. It can also chelate copper and iron, thereby suppressing lipid peroxidation and protecting cell membranes from destruction. It also generates metabolites such as tryptophol which reduce the rate of metabolic activity in neurons and affected tissue, which can be useful during cytotoxic events. This invention also discloses injectable formulations that rapidly release disulfiram into the circulating blood.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.