the current invention concerns the discovery that a select group of 2 - phenyl - 3 - aroylbenzothiophenes ( benzothiophenes ), those of formula i , are useful for inhibiting autoimmune diseases and their symptoms . it is believed the benzothiophenes disclosed are active against autoimmune diseases by inhibition of t cell function , inhibition of class ii antigen expression thereby inhibiting macrophage mediated antigen presentation , and / or inhibition of release of cytokines including il - 1 , tnf , and other inflammatory mediators . the therapeutic and prophylactic treatments provided by this invention are practiced by administering to a human in need thereof a dose of a compound of formula i or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof , that is effective to inhibit autoimmune disease or its symptoms . the term “ inhibit ” includes its generally accepted meaning which includes prohibiting , preventing , restraining , and slowing , stopping or reversing progression , severity or a resultant symptom . as such , the present method includes both medical therapeutic and / or prophylactic administration , as appropriate . an autoimmune disease involves aberrant regulation of cellular and humoral mediated immunity and is frequently associated with abnormal or enhanced t cell , b cell , or macrophage effector functions directed toward self - antigen . examples of autoimmune diseases includes systemic lupus erythrematosas , hashimoto &# 39 ; s thyroiditis , myasthenia gravis , rheumatoid arthritis , multiple sclerosis , guillan barre syndrome , and glomerulonephritis . raloxifene is a preferred compound of this invention and it is the hydrochloride salt of a compound of formula 1 wherein r 1 and r 3 are hydrogen and r 2 is 1 - piperidinyl . generally , at least one compound of formula i is formulated with common excipients , diluents or carriers , and compressed into tablets , or formulated as elixirs or solutions for convenient oral administration , or administered by the intramuscular or intravenous routes . the compounds can be administered transdermally , and may be formulated as sustained release dosage forms and the like . the compounds used in the methods of the current invention can be made according to established procedures , such as those detailed in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 133 , 814 , 4 , 418 , 068 , and 4 , 380 , 635 all of which are incorporated by reference herein . in general , the process starts with a benzo [ b ] thiophene having a 6 - hydroxyl group and a 2 -( 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) group . the starting compound is protected , acylated , and deprotected to form the formula i compounds . examples of the preparation of such compounds are provided in the u . s . patents discussed above . the term “ optionally substituted phenyl ” includes phenyl and phenyl substituted once or twice with c 1 - c 6 alkyl , c 1 - c 4 alkoxy , hydroxy , nitro , chloro , fluoro , or tri ( chloro or fluoro ) methyl . the compounds used in the methods of this invention form pharmaceutically acceptable acid and base addition salts with a wide variety of organic and inorganic acids and bases and include the physiologically acceptable salts which are often used in pharmaceutical chemistry . such salts are also part of this invention . typical inorganic acids used to form such salts include hydrochloric , hydrobromic , hydroiodic , nitric , sulfuric , phosphoric , hypophosphoric and the like . salts derived from organic acids , such as aliphatic mono and dicarboxylic acids , phenyl substituted alkanoic acids , hydroxyalkanoic and hydroxyalkandioic acids , aromatic acids , aliphatic and aromatic sulfonic acids , may also be used . such pharmaceutically acceptable salts thus include acetate , phenylacetate , trifluoroacetate , acrylate , ascorbate , benzoate , chlorobenzoate , dinitrobenzoate , hydroxybenzoate , methoxybenzoate , methylbenzoate , o - acetoxybenzoate , naphthalene - 2 - benzoate , bromide , isobutyrate , phenylbutyrate , β - hydroxybutyrate , butyne - 1 , 4 - dioate , hexyne - 1 , 4 - dioate , caprate , caprylate , chloride , cinnamate , citrate , formate , fumarate , glycollate , heptanoate , hippurate , lactate , malate , maleate , hydroxymaleate , malonate , mandelate , mesylate , nicotinate , isonicotinate , nitrate , oxalate , phthalate , teraphthalate , phosphate , monohydrogenphosphate , dihydrogenphosphate , metaphosphate , pyrophosphate , propiolate , propionate , phenylpropionate , salicylate , sebacate , succinate , suberate , sulfate , bisulfate , pyrosulfate , sulfite , bisulfite , sulfonate , benzene - sulfonate , p - bromophenylsulfonate , chlorobenzenesulfonate , ethanesulfonate , 2 - hydroxyethanesulfonate , methanesulfonate , naphthalene - 1 - sulfonate , naphthalene - 2 - sulfonate , p - toluenesulfonate , xylenesulfonate , tartarate , and the like . a preferred salt is the hydrochloride salt . the pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts are typically formed by reacting a compound of formula i with an equimolar or excess amount of acid . the reactants are generally combined in a mutual solvent such as diethyl ether or benzene . the salt normally precipitates out of solution within about one hour to 10 days and can be isolated by filtration or the solvent can be stripped off by conventional means . bases commonly used for formation of salts include ammonium hydroxide and alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxides , carbonates , as well as aliphatic and primary , secondary and tertiary amines , aliphatic diamines . bases especially useful in the preparation of addition salts include ammonium hydroxide , potassium carbonate , methylamine , diethylamine , ethylene diamine and cyclohexylamine . the pharmaceutically acceptable salts generally have enhanced solubility characteristics compared to the compound from which they are derived , and thus are often more amenable to formulation as liquids or emulsions . pharmaceutical formulations can be prepared by procedures known in the art . for example , the compounds can be formulated with common excipients , diluents , or carriers , and formed into tablets , capsules , suspensions , powders , and the like . examples of excipients , diluents , and carriers that are suitable for such formulations include the following : fillers and extenders such as starch , sugars , mannitol , and silicic derivatives ; binding agents such as carboxymethyl cellulose and other cellulose derivatives , alginates , gelatin , and polyvinyl pyrrolidone ; moisturizing agents such as glycerol ; disintegrating agents such as calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate ; agents for retarding dissolution such as paraffin ; resorption accelerators such as quaternary ammonium compounds ; surface active agents such as cetyl alcohol , glycerol monostearate ; adsorptive carriers such as kaolin and bentonite ; and lubricants such as talc , calcium and magnesium stearate , and solid polyethyl glycols . the compounds can also be formulated as elixirs or solutions for convenient oral administration or as solutions appropriate for parenteral administration , for instance by intramuscular , subcutaneous or intravenous routes . additionally , the compounds are well suited to formulation as sustained release dosage forms and the like . the formulations can be so constituted that they release the active ingredient only or preferably in a particular part of the intestinal tract , possibly over a period of time . the coatings , envelopes , and protective matrices may be made , for example , from polymeric substances or waxes . the particular dosage of a compound of formula i required to inhibit an autoimmune disease or its symptoms , according to this invention , will depend upon the severity of the condition , the route of administration , and related factors that will be decided by the attending physician . generally , accepted and effective daily doses will be from about 0 . 1 to about 1000 mg / day , and more typically from about 50 to about 200 mg / day . such dosages will be administered to a subject in need thereof from once to about three times each day , or more often as needed to effectively treat or prevent the disease ( s ) or symptom ( s ). it is usually preferred to administer a compound of formula i in the form of an acid addition salt , as is customary in the administration of pharmaceuticals bearing a basic group , such as the piperidino ring . it is preferred to administer a compound of the invention to an aging human ( e . g . a post - menopausal female ). for such purposes the following oral dosage forms are available . in the formulations which follow , “ active ingredient ” means a compound of formula i . the ingredients are blended , passed through a no . 45 mesh u . s . sieve , and filled into hard gelatin capsules . examples of specific capsule formulations of raloxifene that have been made include those shown below : the specific formulations above may be changed in compliance with the reasonable variations provided . alternatively , tablets each containing 0 . 1 - 1000 mg of active ingredient are made up as follows : the active ingredient , starch , and cellulose are passed through a no . 45 mesh u . s . sieve and mixed thoroughly . the solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone is mixed with the resultant powders which are then passed through a no . 14 mesh u . s . sieve . the granules so produced are dried at 50 °- 60 ° c . and passed through a no . 18 mesh u . s . sieve . the sodium carboxymethyl starch , magnesium stearate , and talc , previously passed through a no . 60 u . s . sieve , are then added to the granules which , after mixing , are compressed on a tablet machine to yield tablets . suspensions each containing 0 . 1 - 1000 mg of active ingredient per 5 ml dose are made as follows : the active ingredient is passed through a no . 45 mesh u . s . sieve and mixed with the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and syrup to form a smooth paste . the benzoic acid solution , flavor , and color are diluted with some of the water and added , with stirring . sufficient water is then added to produce the required volume . the procedure as set out in holmdahl et al ., clin . exp . immunol ., 70 , 373 - 378 ( 1987 ) ( herein incorporated by reference ) is carried out . four to thirty female mice , aged approximately 8 - 10 weeks , are ovariectomized . administration of a compound of the invention is begun within three weeks after castration on the experimental group . after one week of administration of a compound of formula 1 , the mice are immunized with rat type ii collagen . the mice are graded for clinical severity of arthritis , as set out in holmdahl et al ., arthritis rheum ., 29 , 106 ( 1986 ), herein incorporated by reference . sera are collected , and assayed for anti - type ii collagen reactive antibodies . at the termination of the experiment , spleen cells are obtained from the mice for determination of t cell activity . activity is illustrated by a reduction in titer of anti - collagen type ii antibodies determined by conventional elisa assay . reduction in t - cell reactivity to type ii collagen presented to splenic t - cells by antigen presenting cells is evaluated by quantitation of dna synthesis by thymidine uptake . finally , clinical severity of disease is evaluated daily by defining first signs of erythema and swelling of one or more limbs . clinical assessment is correlated with histologic examination . between four and thirty young adult female sprague - dawley rats are fed animal chow and water ad libitum . the experimental group receives a compound of formula 1 , and all rats receive rat cord generally as described in arnason et al ., arch . neurol ., 21 , 103 - 108 ( 1969 ), incorporated herein by reference . the rats are graded for signs of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis ( eae ). between three and seven weeks after administration of a compound of formula 1 began , the rats are sacrificed , their spinal cords removed and examined . activity is illustrated by the ability of a compound to inhibit eae . between five and fifty mice ( mrl / 1 pr and nzb ) are used . reduction of anti - dna antibodies , quantitated by elisa , as well as changes in survival time and histologic exam of kidneys are evaluated parameters . the mice are dosed with compounds of the invention and are evaluated using the above parameters for disease progression . five to fifty women are selected for the clinical study . the women are post - menopausal , i . e ., have ceased menstruating for between 6 and 12 months prior to the study &# 39 ; s initiation , suffer from an autoimmune disease which exhibits symptoms , but otherwise are in good general health ,. because of the idiosyncratic and subjective nature of these disorders , the study has a placebo control group , i . e ., the women are divided into two groups , one of which receives a compound of formula 1 as the active agent and the other receives a placebo . women in the test group receive between 50 - 200 mg of the drug per day by the oral route . they continue this therapy for 3 - 12 months . accurate records are kept as to the number and severity of the symptoms in both groups and at the end of the study these results are compared . the results are compared both between members of each group and also the results for each patient are compared to the symptoms reported by each patient before the study began . utility of the compounds of formula i is illustrated by the positive impact they have in at least one of the assays described above .
a method of inhibiting auto immune diseases comprising administering to a human in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having the formula wherein r 1 and r 3 are independently hydrogen , — ch 3 , or wherein ar is optionally substituted phenyl ; r 2 is selected from the group consisting of pyrrolidine , hexamethyleneamino , and piperidino ; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of solvate thereof .