EP0427925A2 — Use of prophenytoin for preparing pharmaceutical preparations for treating stroke and cerebral ischemia

USPTO Abstract

The present invention relates to a new therapeutic indication of known derivatives of phenytoin or a stable pharmaceutical composition of the phenytoin prodrug which is now known as fosphenytoin sodium. More particularly, the present invention concerns a method of preparing pharma­ceutical compositions for treating cerebral ischemia or stroke in a human by using the derivatives of phenytoin, preferably 3-(hydroxy-methyl)-5,5-­diphenylhydantoin phosphate ester disodium salt or a prodrug of phenytoin as active compounds. The preferred compound is also variously known as the fosphenytoin sodium; 5,5-diphenyl-3-­[(phosphonooxy)methyl]-2,4-imidazolidinedione disodium salt; 3-phosphoryl-oxymethyl-5,5-­diphenylhydantoin disodium salt; or 3-­(hydroxymethyl)-5,5-diphenylhydantoin disodium phosphate ester