Compounds of the following general formula are useful in the treatment of sickle cell anemia: ##STR1## WHEREIN EACH OF R and R.sub.1 is hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, bromine, trifluoromethyl, hydroxy, a lower alkoxy group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a straight or branched lower alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 is hydrogen or a straight or branched lower alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R.sub.3 is hydrogen or a straight or branched lower alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or when R.sub.2 is hydrogen, R.sub.3 is .beta.,.beta.,.beta.-trichloroethoxycarbonyl, benzyloxycarbonyl, p-methoxybenzyloxycarbonyl, p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl or tert-butoxycarbonyl; or NR.sub.2 R.sub.3 taken together form a monocyclic heterocyclic group selected from the group consisting of pyrrolidino, piperidino, morpholino, and N-(lower)alkylpiperazino; Z is ##STR2## wherein R.sub.4 is hydrogen or lower alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R.sub.5 is hydroxy or alkylcarbonyloxy wherein the alkyl moiety has from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; each of m and m' is the integer 1 or 2; n is an integer of from 2 to 6; p is an integer of from 1 to 3; and q is an integer of from zero to 2; or pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts and individual optical isomers thereof.
There is disclosed diamines of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.6 is H, Cl, or CH.sub.3 ; and R.sub.8 " is H, Cl, or CH.sub.3, with the provisos that (a) if R.sub.8 " is H or CH.sub.3, R.sub.7 " is CH.sub.3 ; and (b) if R.sub.8 " is Cl, R.sub.7 " is F; and (c) if R.sub.6 and R.sub.8 " are both H, R.sub.7 " is any of CH.sub.3, F, CF.sub.3, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylsulfonyl, cyclohexyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl, p-chlorophenoxy or p-chlorophenyl alkyl having 7 or 8 carbon atoms. The diamines have algicidal activity.
A method of treating a person for sickle cell anemia including administering to the patient's blood a therapeutically effective dosage of ethacrynic acid. The dosage may be administered to blood removed from the patient which blood after addition of the compound is restored to the patient or by other means such as orally.
