Methods of inhibiting bone loss

A method of inhibiting bone resorption in a subject comprising administering to said subject a pharmaceutically effective dose of a compound of the structure ##STR11## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently hydrogen, hydroxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkynyl, ##STR12## where n is an integer from 0 to 6, inclusive;

• R.sup.3 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are hydrogen or when taken together form a bond
• R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are independently hydrogen or when taken together from .dbd.S or .dbd.O, or when one of R.sup.6 or R.sup.7 is hydrogen, the other is --OH or --SCH.sub.3 ;
• X is ##STR13## wherein m is 0,1, or 2;
• and Q is --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, or --NR.sup.8 where R.sup.8 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 cycloalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkenyl, --SO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 or --(CH.sub.2).sub.t --Y where t is 0,1,2, or 3, and Y is cyano, ##STR14## tetrazolyl, --NR.sup.11 R.sup.12, --SH, --S(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl) or ##STR15## where R.sup.9 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, tosyl, or ##STR16## R.sup.10 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or --NH.sub.2 ;
• R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkynyl, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n OH, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl).sub.2, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n S(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl), or ##STR17## where n is an integer from 0 to 6, inclusive, and t is 0,1,2, or 3;
• or R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 taken together form a morpholinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl or an N-methyl piperazinyl ring;
• and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof.