Abstract: A benzophenone derivative represented by the following formula: wherein R1 represents, for example, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or a substituted phenyl group; Z represents, for example, an alkylene group; R2 represents, for example, a carboxyl group optionally protected with alkyl; R3 represents, for example, an optionally protected hydroxyl group; R4 represents, for example, an optionally substituted cycloalkyloxy group; and R5 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom, or a salt thereof has anti-arthritic activity, inhibits bone destruction caused by arthritis, and provides high safety and excellent pharmacokinetics and thus is useful as therapeutic agent for arthritis. These compounds have inhibitory effect on AP-1 activity and are useful as preventive or therapeutic agent for diseases in which excessive expression of AP-1 is involved.

Abstract: A compound comprising the atom corresponding to N3 and the two or more atoms selected from N1, N2, N4 and N5, said atoms constitute the pharmacophore represented by the following formula: wherein N1 represents an atom to which a donative hydrogen atom in a hydrogen-bond donating group is bonded or a hydrogen-bond accepting atom in a hydrogen-bond accepting group; N3 represents a hydrogen-bond accepting atom in a hydrogen-bond accepting group; and N2, N4 and N5 independently represents an arbitrary carbon atom constituting a hydrophobic group and defined by the interatomic distances between N1, N2, N3, N4 and N5; and, in the optimized three-dimensional structure thereof, the distances between the atom corresponding to N3 and the two or more atoms selected from N1, N2, N4 and N5, in the optimized steric structure thereof, are the interatomic distances in a pharmacophore; or a salt thereof; inhibits the activity of transcription factor AP-1 and is useful as an agent for preventing and treating the diseases i

Abstract: A compound or a salt thereof having the atom corresponding to N3 and the two or more atoms selected from N1, N2, N4 and N5, said atoms constitute the pharmacophore represented by the following formula: and inhibits the activity of transcription factor AP-1 and is useful as an agent for preventing and treating the diseases into which over expression of AP-1 participates and as an AP-1 inhibitor.

Abstract: A benzophenone derivative represented by the following formula: wherein R1 represents, for example, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or a substituted phenyl group; Z represents, for example, an alkylene group; R2 represents, for example, a carboxyl group optionally protected with alkyl; R3 represents, for example, an optionally protected hydroxyl group; R4 represents, for example, an optionally substituted cycloalkyloxy group; and R5 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom, or a salt thereof has anti-arthritic activity, inhibits bone destruction caused by arthritis, and provides high safety and excellent pharmacokinetics and thus is useful as therapeutic agent for arthritis. These compounds have inhibitory effect on AP-1 activity and are useful as preventive or therapeutic agent for diseases in which excessive expression of AP-1 is involved.

Abstract: The spiro compounds of the present invention represented by the general formula: wherein A, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and n are as defined in the specification, exhibit an AP-1 activity inhibitory action and, based on the AP-1 inhibitory action, suppresses the expression of a wide variety of genes and are useful as an agent for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases with lessoned side reactions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a 1,2-ethanediol derivative and a salt thereof, a process for producing the same, and a cerebral function-improving agent comprising the same. The cerebral function-improving agent of this invention is useful for treating cerebrovascular dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, sequelae of ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral apoplexy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a 1,2-ethanediol derivative and a salt thereof, a process for producing the same, and a cerebral function-improving agent comprising the same. The cerebral function-improving agent of this invention is useful for treating cerebrovascular dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, sequelae of ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral apoplexy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a 1,2-ethanediol derivative and a salt thereof, a process for producing the same, and a cerebral function-improving agent comprising the same. The cerebral function-improving agent of this invention is useful for treating cerebrovascular dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, sequelae of ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral apoplexy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a 1,2-ethanediol derivative and a salt thereof, a process for producing the same, and a cerebral function-improving agent comprising the same. The cerebral function-improving agent of this invention is useful for treating cerebrovascular dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, sequelae of ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral apoplexy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a 1,2-ethanediol derivative and a salt thereof, a process for producing the same, and a cerebral function-improving agent comprising the same. The cerebral function-improving agent of this invention is useful for treating cerebrovascular dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, sequelae of ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral apoplexy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing a compound represented by formula (6a) or (6b): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl-protecting group and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, which may be the same or different, represents lower alkyl groups, using a compound represented by formula (2a) or (2b) obtained by preferential crystallization: ##STR2## and also to a compound represented by the following formula (7) which is an intermediate useful for producing the compound of formula (6a) or (6b): ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 represents a group represented by formula (8): ##STR4## wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is as defined above and R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a group or a carboxyl protecting group represented by formula (9): ##STR5## or a group represented by formula (10): ##STR6## wherein R.sup.2 is as defined above.

Abstract: This invention relates to a 1,2-ethanediol derivative and a salt thereof, a process for producing the same, and a cerebral function improving agent comprising the same. The cerebral function-improving agent of this invention is useful for treating cerebrovascular dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, sequelae of ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral apoplexy.