Method of enhancing hair growth

A method for the conversion of vellus hair or intermediate hair to growth as terminal hair comprising the application to mammalian skin at the locale of vellus hair of an effective amount of a cyclopentane heptanoic acid, 2-cycloalkyl or arylalkyl compound represented by the formula I

• wherein the dashed bonds represent a single or double bond which can be in the cis or trans configuration, A is an alkylene or alkenylene radical having from two to six carbon atoms, which radical may be interrupted by one or more oxa radicals and substituted with one or more hydroxy, oxo, alkyloxy or akylcarboxy groups wherein said alkyl radical comprises from one to six carbon atoms;
• B is a cycloalkyl radical having from three to seven carbon atoms, or an aryl radical,selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl aryl and heteroaryl radicals having from four to ten carbon atoms wherein the heteroatom is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur atoms;
• X is —N(R4)2 wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a lower alkyl radical having from one to six carbon atoms,
• wherein R5 is a lower alkyl radical having from one to six carbon atoms;
• Z is ═O;
• one of R1 and R2 is ═O, —OH or a —O(CO)R6 group, and the other one is —OH or —O(CO)R6, or R1 is ═O and R2 is H, wherein R6 is a saturated or unsaturated acyclic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, or —(CH2)mR7 wherein m is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 10, and R7 is cycloalkyl radical, having from three to seven carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbyl aryl or heteroaryl radical, as defined above or a pharmacologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof.

A method for stimulating hair follicles to increase hair growth and one or more properties selected from the group consisting of luster, sheen, brilliance, gloss, glow, shine or patina of hair associated with the follicles, comprising the application to mammalian skin at the locale of the follicles of an effective amount of a cyclopentane heptanoic acid, 2-cycloalkyl or arylalkyl compound represented by the formula I

• wherein the dashed bonds represent a single or double bond which can be in the cis or trans configuration, A is an alkylene or alkenylene radical having from two to six carbon atoms, which radical may be interrupted by one or more oxide radicals and substituted with one or more hydroxy, oxo, alkyloxy or akylcarboxy groups wherein said alkyl radical comprises from one to six carbon atoms;
• B is a cycloalkyl radical having from three to seven carbon atoms, or an aryl radical, selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl aryl and heteroaryl radicals having from four to ten carbon atoms wherein the heteroatom is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur atoms;
• X is —N(R4)2 wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a lower alkyl radical having from one to six carbon atoms,
• wherein R5 is a lower alkyl radical having from one to six carbon atoms;
• z is ═O;
• one of R1 and R2 is ═O, —OH or a —O(CO)R6 group, and the other one is —OH or —O(CO)R6, or R1 is ═O and R2 is H, wherein R6 is a saturated or unsaturated acyclic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, or —(CH2)mR7 wherein m is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 10, and R7 is cycloalkyl radical, having from three to seven carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbyl aryl or heteroaryl radical, as defined above or a pharmacologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof.