Abstract: The present invention provides novel 5-substituted picolinic acid compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, C2-C6 acyl or halo-substituted benzoyl; and R3 is —C(O)O—C1-C6 alkyl, C(O)OH, CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, with the proviso that when R2 is acetyl and R3 is methoxycarbonyl, R1 is not H; and that when R3 is CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, R1 and R2 are H. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compound of the present invention, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like. The present invention further relates to a process for producing the compounds of the formula (I).

Abstract: This invention provides terpenoid lactone compounds, and processes for producing the terpenoid lactone compounds, which comprise cultivating Oidiodedron griseum FERM BP-5778 and then isolating the terpenoid lactone compounds from the fermentation broth. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the terpenoid lactone compound, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.

Abstract: This invention provides a compound of formula (I): or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein X1 and X2 are C or N, respectively; R1 and R2 are independently phenyl optionally substituted with a hydroxy group with proviso that X1 and X2 are not simultaneously C or N, when X1 is N, R1 is absent, and when X2 is N, R2 is absent; R3 is methyl or hydroxymethyl; R4 is formyl, hydroxymethyl or hydroxy C3-6 alkenyl; R5 is hydroxy, C3-6 alkenyl or hydroxy C3-6 alkenyl; or R4 and R5, together with the carbon atoms in the furopyridine ring to which they are attached, may form the following ring (to be fused with the furopyridine ring): with the proviso that when R3 is methyl and R5 is 2-buten-2-yl, X2 is not N. These compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds are useful for treating infectious diseases caused by bacteria.

Abstract: This invention provides terpenoid lactone compounds, and processes for producing the terpenoid lactone compounds, which comprise cultivating Oidiodedron griseum FERM BP-5778 and then isolating the terpenoid lactone compounds from the fermentation broth. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the terpenoid lactone compound, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.

Abstract: This invention provides terpenoid lactone compounds, and processes for producing the terpenoid lactone compounds, which comprise cultivating Oidiodedron griseum FERM BP-5778 and then isolating the terpenoid lactone compounds from the fermentation broth. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the teipenoid lactone compound, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel 5-substituted picolinic acid compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, C2-C6 acyl or halo-substituted benzoyl; and R3 is —C(O)O—C1-C6 alkyl, C(O)OH, CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, with the proviso that when R2 is acetyl and R3 is methoxycarbonyl, R1 is not H; and that when R3 is CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, R1 and R2 are H. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compound of the present invention, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like. The present invention further relates to a process for producing the compounds of the formula (I).

Abstract: The present invention provides novel 5-substituted picolinic acid compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently H, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 acyl or halo-substituted benzoyl; and R.sup.3 is --C(O)O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C(O)OH, CN, CONH.sub.2, CONHCH.sub.3, CON(CH.sub.3).sub.2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, with the proviso that when R.sub.2 is acetyl and R.sup.3 is methoxycarbonyl, R.sup.1 is not H; and that when R.sup.3 is CN, CONH.sub.2, CONHCH.sub.3, CON(CH.sub.3).sub.2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are H.The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compound of the present invention, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.The present invention further relates to a process for producing the compounds of the formula (I).

Abstract: This invention provides processes for producing novel cyclic peptide compounds, which comprise cultivating Ctenomyces serratus FERM BP-5731 and then isolating the cyclic peptide compounds from the fermentation broth. The compounds produced by these processes include a cyclic peptide compound of the following formula (I): ##STR1## The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same, which is useful in the treatment of severe pain, detoxication of narcotics dependency or acute narcotics intoxication or the like.

Abstract: Muconic acid is obtained from the culture of strains of Arthrobacter sp. mutant strains, strains belonging to Corynebacterium acetoacidophilum, Corynebacterium lilium, genus Brevibacterium or genus Microbacterium.