Described herein are neuroactive steroids or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Such compounds are envisioned, in certain embodiments, to behave as GABA modulators. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound described herein and methods of use and treatment, e.g., such as for inducing sedation and/or anesthesia.

The present invention relates to the field of pharmaceutical chemistry, and specifically to a method for preparing cholesterol, a derivative thereof, and an analog thereof. The derivative of cholesterol comprises, but is not limited to, 7-dehydrocholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol, and ergosterol. In the present invention, a compound represented by formula I can be prepared by means of a microbial transformation using phytosterols as a raw material, followed by preparing cholesterol, the derivative thereof, and the analog thereof.

The present invention relates to the field of pharmaceutical chemistry, and specifically to a method for preparing cholesterol, a derivative thereof, and an analog thereof. The derivative of cholesterol comprises, but is not limited to, 7-dehydrocholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol, and ergosterol. In the present invention, a compound represented by formula I can be prepared by means of a microbial transformation using phytosterols as a raw material, followed by preparing cholesterol, the derivative thereof, and the analog thereof.

Provided herein is a compound of Formula (I): ##STR00001##
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R.sup.1a, R.sup.1b, R.sup.2a, R.sup.2b, R.sup.3, R.sup.4a, R.sup.4b, R.sup.5, R.sup.6a, R.sup.6b, R.sup.7a, R.sup.7a, R.sup.11a, R.sup.11b, R.sup.12a, R.sup.12b, R.sup.16a, R.sup.16b, R.sup.19, R.sup.11a, R.sup.22, R.sup.X, R.sup.Y and n are defined herein. Also provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of Formula (I) and methods of using the compounds, e.g., in the treatment of CNS-related disorders.

Compounds are provided according to Formula (III):

##STR00001##

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof; wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.5, and n are as defined herein, and at least one hydrogen is replaced with a deuterium. Compounds of the present invention are contemplated useful for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions.

Compounds are provided according to Formula (III):

##STR00001##

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof; wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.5, and n are as defined herein, and at least one hydrogen is replaced with a deuterium. Compounds of the present invention are contemplated useful for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions.

The present disclosure provides a compound represented by formula (I), or a salt or a stereoisomer thereof. The compound is capable of effectively inhibiting germination of Clostridium difficile spores with a significant bacteriostatic activity. The compound has an excellent prospect for use in preparation of a drug for preventing and/or treating a C. difficile-caused infectious disease, recurrence of the C. difficile-caused infectious disease, or a complication of the C. difficile-caused infectious disease.

The present disclosure provides a compound represented by formula (I), or a salt or a stereoisomer thereof. The compound is capable of effectively inhibiting germination of Clostridium difficile spores with a significant bacteriostatic activity. The compound has an excellent prospect for use in preparation of a drug for preventing and/or treating a C. difficile-caused infectious disease, recurrence of the C. difficile-caused infectious disease, or a complication of the C. difficile-caused infectious disease.

It is an object of the present invention to provide methods for producing vitamin D that gives improved yields and reduced side product contamination. In various aspects, these methods provide for production of vitamin-D.sub.2 using ergosterol as provitamin D.sub.2 or a dihydroxy derivative thereof as a starting material, or production of vitamin-D.sub.3 using 7-dehydrocholesterol as provitamin D.sub.3 or a dihydroxy derivative thereof as the starting material. The methods described herein comprise irradiating the starting material in a solution including an organic or inorganic base with light in the wavelength range 245-360 nanometers (nm) to obtain a product containing pre-vitamin-D.sub.2 or pre-vitamin-D.sub.3, and heating the product to convert the resulting pre-vitamin-D.sub.2 or pre-vitamin-D.sub.3 to vitamin D.sub.2 or vitamin D.sub.3. In various embodiments, these methods further comprise recovering vitamin D.sub.2 or vitamin D.sub.3 from this reaction as a purified product.

It is an object of the present invention to provide methods for producing vitamin D that gives improved yields and reduced side product contamination. In various aspects, these methods provide for production of vitamin-D.sub.2 using ergosterol as provitamin D.sub.2 or a dihydroxy derivative thereof as a starting material, or production of vitamin-D.sub.3 using 7-dehydrocholesterol as provitamin D.sub.3 or a dihydroxy derivative thereof as the starting material. The methods described herein comprise irradiating the starting material in a solution including an organic or inorganic base with light in the wavelength range 245-360 nanometers (nm) to obtain a product containing pre-vitamin-D.sub.2 or pre-vitamin-D.sub.3, and heating the product to convert the resulting pre-vitamin-D.sub.2 or pre-vitamin-D.sub.3 to vitamin D.sub.2 or vitamin D.sub.3. In various embodiments, these methods further comprise recovering vitamin D.sub.2 or vitamin D.sub.3 from this reaction as a purified product.