Use of indolocarbazole derivatives to treat a pathological condition of the prostate

A method of treating a pathological condition of the prostate gland in a mammal, said method comprising administering to said mammal a therapeutic amount of an indolocarbazole compound of the formula:

• ##STR35## wherein:
• a) when Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 are both hydrogen:
• 1) R is selected from the group consisting of OH, and O-n-alkyl of 1-6 carbons, and O-acyl of 2-6 carbons;
• 2) X is selected from the group consisting of H;
• CONHC.sub.6 H.sub.5 with the proviso that both R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are not Br;
• CH.sub.2 Y wherein Y is:
• OR.sup.7 wherein R.sup.7 is H or acyl of 2-5 carbons, acetyl;
• SOR.sup.8 wherein R.sup.8 is alkyl of 1-3 carbons, aryl, or a heterocyclic group including a nitrogen atom;
• NR.sup.9 R.sup.10 wherein R.sup.9 and R.sup.10, independently, are H, alkyl of 1-3 carbons, Pro, Ser, Gly, Lys, or acyl of 2-5 carbons, with the proviso that only one of R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 is Pro, Ser, Gly, Lys or acyl;
• SR.sup.16 wherein R.sup.16 is an aryl, alkyl of 1-3 carbons or a heterocyclic group that includes a nitrogen atom;
• N.sub.3 ;
• CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ;
• S-Glc;
• CONR.sup.11 R.sup.12 wherein R.sup.11 and R.sup.12, independently, are H, alkyl of 1-6 carbons, C.sub.6 H.sub.5, hydroxyalkyl of 1-6 carbons, or R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are combined to form --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --;
• CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ;
• CH.dbd.NNHCONH.sub.2 ;
• CONHOH;
• CH.dbd.NOH;
• CH.dbd.NNHC(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 ;
• and ##STR36## CH.dbd.NN(R.sup.17).sub.2 wherein R.sup.17 represents aryl;
• CH.sub.2 NHCONHR.sup.18 wherein R.sup.18 is lower alkyl or aryl;
• or
• X and R are combined together to form --CH.sub.2 NHCO.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 OC(CH.sub.3).sub.2 O--, .dbd.O, or --CH.sub.2 N(CH.sub.3)CO.sub.2 --;
• 3) each R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, independently, is H or up to two of them are F;
• Cl;
• Br;
• I;
• NO.sub.2 ;
• CN;
• OH;
• NHCONHR.sup.13 wherein R.sup.13 is C.sub.6 H.sub.5 or alkyl of 1-3 carbons with the proviso that only one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 is NHCONHR.sup.13 ;
• CH.sub.2 OR.sup.13 ;
• alkyl of 1-3 carbons;
• CH.sub.2 OCONHR.sup.14 ;
• or NHCO.sub.2 R.sup.14 ;
• in which R.sup.14 is lower alkyl;
• CH(SC.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 or CH(--SCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 S--);
• or R.sup.1 is CH.sub.2 S(O).sub.p R.sup.21 where p.dbd.O or 1 and R.sup.21 is aryl, alkyl of 1-3 carbons, a heterocyclic group that includes a nitrogen atom, ##STR37## or CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 N(CH.sub.3).sub.2, and R.sup.2 R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are H;
• or R.sup.1 is CH.dbd.NNR.sup.22 R.sup.23, wherein R.sup.22 and R.sup.23, are each independently H, alkyl of 1-3 carbons, C(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2, or a heterocyclic group that includes a nitrogen atom, or R.sup.22 and R.sup.23 are combined together to form --(CH.sub.2).sub.4 --, --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2)--, or --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 N(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2)--, with the proviso that R.sup.22 and R.sup.23 cannot both be H, and at least one of R.sup.22 or R.sup.23 is H except when both are alkyl, and R.sup.2, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are H;
• and
• b) when Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 are both combined together to represent O;
• X is CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ;
• R is OH and R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each hydrogen.