Methods of treating neurological diseases and etiologically related symptomology using carbonyl trapping agents in combination with previously known medicaments

A composition for treating a mammal suffering from a neurological disease characterized in part by covalent bond crosslinking between the mammal's nerve cells, other cellular structures and their intracellular and extracellular components with disease-induced carbonyl-containing aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons present in the mammal, said composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a dosage in the range of one gram/day to forty grams/day of at least one carbonyl trapping agent to compete with and covalently bind to said disease-induced carbonyl-containing aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, said carbonyl trapping agent being a compound of the formula ##STR6## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --NH.sub.2 ;

• -aminoalkyl having 1-10 carbons;
• --NHC(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 ;
• --(CH.sub.2).sub.n NHC(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 wherein n is 1-10;
• C(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 ;
• --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --CH.dbd.NH(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 wherein n is 1-10;
• --NHC(.dbd.NH)NHNH.sub.2 ;
• --(CH.sub.2).sub.n NHC(.dbd.NH)NHNH.sub.2 wherein n is 1-10;
• --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --CH.dbd.NC(.dbd.NH)NHNH.sub.2 wherein n is 1-10;
• --NHNHC(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 ;
• --CH.sub.2).sub.n --NHNHC(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 wherein n is 1-10;
• and --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --CH.dbd.N--NHC(.dbd.NH)NH.sub.2 wherein n is 1-10;
• R.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of H;
• --OH;
• --O--CH.sub.3 ;
• --OR' wherein R' is alkyl of 2-10 carbons;
• aminoalkyl wherein the alkyl group is 1-10 carbons;
• --SO.sub.3 H;
• --CH.sub.3 ;
• and --(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.3 wherein n is 1-10;
• and
• R' and R" are H, OH or CH.sub.3 ;
• and n is 0 or 1.