Patients susceptible to or suffering from conditions and disorders, such ascentral nervous system disorders, are treated by administering to a patient inneed thereof compositions that are hydroxybenzoate salts of E-metanicotine-type compounds. The formation of hydroxybenzoate salts of the E-metanicotinecompounds is also useful in purifying the E-metanicotine compounds, as thehydroxybenzoate salts tend to crystallize out, leaving impurities such as Z-metanicotine compounds, and compounds where the double bond has migrated, insolution. If desired, the hydroxybenzoate salts can be converted to either thefree base (the E-metanicotine) or to another pharmaceutically acceptable saltform.
