The invention relates to the use of
agmatine, in the treatment of acute neurotrauma (such as
stroke) and degenerative disorders of the central and
peripheral nervous system (such as
dementia). The invention further provides novel compounds of general formula I (which are
quinuclidine derivatives), formula II (which are
norbornane derivatives), formula III (which are
adamantane derivatives), and formula IV (which are
phenothiazine derivatives): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently
hydrogen, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4
alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 alkoxy, halogeno, amino, phenyl, or R4NR5; R4 and R5 are each independently
hydrogen, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-NHR6, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-NH-NHR6, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-(NR7=)CNHR6, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-NH(NR7=)CNHR6 wherein n is from 0-5, y is from 0-5 and each x is independently from 1-5; R6, and R7 are each independently
hydrogen, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4
alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 alkoxy, or halogeno; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and
optically active isomers thereof.