Process for the treatment of patients suffering from drepanocytosis

This invention relates to a process for the treatment of patients suffering from drepanocytosis, comprising administering to said patients a therapeutically effective dosage of a pyridine derivative having the formula: (I) in which X is oxygen or sulfur; R is oxygen or a phenyl optionally substituted with at least a halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, nitro, amino, sulfonylamino, aryl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, hydroxymethyl or methylenedioxy group; styryl, naphthyl, thienyl or benzhydryl optionally substituted with at least a halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, aryl, nitro, amino, sulfonylamino, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, hydroxymethyl or methylenedioxy group; benzoyl optionally substituted with at least a halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, nitro, amino or sulfonylamino group; R1 and R2 each represent at least one atom or group selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, nitro or amino; R3 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, nitro or amino; and n is zero or an integer from 1 to 15; and R3 may have a different meaning in each CHR3 group when n is greater than 1; or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt or quaternary ammonium derivative of said compound.