Disulfide, sulfide, sulfoxide, and sulfone derivatives of cyclic sugars and uses thereof

A method for the treatment of a condition selected from atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunctions, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, platelet activation, thrombosis, stroke, and/or tissue damage resulting from ischemia or ischemia reperfusion, or symptoms of the above-mentioned conditions, said method comprising administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of at least one compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

• wherein:
• n is an integer of 0, 1, or 2,
• X represents —S(O)m—, —(C═O)— or a single bond, wherein m is an integer of 0, 1, or 2, with the proviso that when X represents —(C═O)— then n is 0,
• R represents hydrogen or is a residue Ra, which residue Ra is selected from the group consisting of:
• C1-6 alkyl;
• C2-6 alkenyl;
• C3-8 cycloalkyl;
• C3-8 cycloalkyl, wherein one CH2 group is replaced by O, S, NH or NCH3;
• C4-8 cycloalkenyl;
• phenyl;
• pyridyl;
• thiophenyl;
• nitrosyl;
• S-cysteinyl;
• S-glutathionyl;
• and
• wherein R* is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C4-8 cycloalkenyl, acetyloxy, hydroxyl, ONO2 and halogen;
• and wherein Ra optionally is substituted by one to three groups independently selected from C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C4-8 cycloalkenyl, acetyloxy, hydroxyl, ONO2 and halogen,
• provided that when RXS(O)n — and —ONO2 are trans to each other with respect to the ring plane as depicted in formulae (Ia) and (Ib):
• then RXS(O)n— does not represent
• wherein Z is an C1-C4 alkyl group, aryl group, or an aralkyl group.