Disclosed is the use of 5[alpha]-androst-3[beta],5,6[beta]-triol and analogs thereof, deuterated compounds thereof or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof in the preparation of drugs for treating inflammation-mediated optic neuropathy in patients. The present invention confirms that these compounds can significantly antagonize the activation of microglia and macrophages, and inhibit inflammatory responses so as to reduce the loss of rat optic ganglion cells caused by high intraocular pressure and to reduce the loss of axons of retinal ganglion cells, and can thus be used for treating inflammation-mediated optic neuropathy.本發明揭示了5α-雄甾-3β,5,6β-三醇及其類似物、其氘代物或其醫藥學上可接受之鹽在製備治療患者之炎症介導之視神經病之藥物中之應用。本發明證實此等化合物可以顯著拮抗微神經膠質細胞及巨噬細胞之活化，抑制炎症反應從而減輕高眼壓導致之大鼠視神經節細胞之丟失，減輕視網膜神經節細胞軸突之丟失，從而能夠用於治療炎症介導之視神經病變。
