Mono- and disulfo-substituted anthraquinones and their use for the treatment of bone matrix disorders

A method of treatment of pathologies wherein the erosion of the cartilaginous and bone matrix occurs in the most advanced steps of the disease comprising administering a treatment effective amount of a compound of formula (I):

• ##STR4## wherein:
• A is a group of formula --SO.sub.3 R, in which R is hydrogen or a cation capable of giving a water-soluble derivative;
• or
• A is a group of formula --SO.sub.2 R.sup.1, wherein R.sup.1 is a --NR.sup.2 R.sup.3 group, in which R.sup.2 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 straight or branched alkyl, R.sup.3 is --CH(COOH)--R.sup.5, wherein R.sup.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 arylalkyl;
• --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --COOH, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 6, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 straight or branched alkyl, --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --O--(CH.sub.2)m--CH.sub.3, wherein m is an integer from 1 to 4;
• or
• R' is a --OR.sup.4 group, in which R.sup.4 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 straight or branched alkyl group or an optionally substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl group;
• B is a hydrogen atom;
• or
• B has the same meanings as A;
• with the proviso that A and B are simultaneously --SO.sub.3 R or --SO.sub.2 R.sup.1.