Rhodanine carboxylic acid derivatives for the treatment and prevention of metabolic bone disorders

A method of treatment or prevention of metabolic bone disorders in a patient in need of such treatment or prevention, comprising administering an effective amount of a compound of general formula (I)

• in which
• m signifies a number between 0-8 and q signifies a number between 0-8, wherein m and q are not both 0,
• a signifies a number between 0-4,
• A signifies a single or double bond,
• R1,R2 signify hydrogen or lower alkyl, wherein R1 and R4 are the same or different,
• R3 signifies hydrogen or lower alkyl,
• X signifies hydrogen or —(CH2)b—COR4 with b=0-4,
• Y signifies —COR4, phenyl or indolyl,
• R4 signifies hydroxyl, lower alkoxy or —NR1R2, whereby R1 and R2 are the same or different, and
• W signifies an optionally mono- or polysubstituted saturated or unsaturated monocycle, bicycle or tricycle which optionally contains one or more hetero atoms, with the proviso that if W is a substituted phenyl, the substituent is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, acetylamino, alkoxydialkylamino, amino, dialkylamino, benzyl, benzyloxy, benzyloxybenzyloxy, carboxyl, chlorophenylsulphonyl, dioxymethylene, mercaptoalkyl, nitro, phenoxy, styryl and halogen.