Abstract: Disclosed are use of a benzophenone derivative represented by general formula (I) or a salt thereof and one or more immunosuppressing agents in combination, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the benzophenone derivative or a salt thereof and one or more immunosuppressing agents. The use and the composition are useful for treatment or prevention of autoimmune diseases and the like. (In the formula, R1 represents an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, a substituted phenyl group or the like; Z represents an alkylene group or the like; R2 represents a carboxyl group, which may be protected by an alkyl group, or the like; R3 represents an optionally protected hydroxyl group or the like; R4 represents an optionally substituted cycloalkyloxy group or the like; and R5 represents a hydrogen atom or the like.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical agents characterized by containing benzophenone derivatives represented by the general formula: wherein the each substituent is as defined in the specification, or salts thereof have suppressive effect on RANKL production, suppressive effect on OPG reduction and inhibitory effects on differentiation/activation of osteoclasts, and are extremely useful for treating, for example therapy and/or prevention, of various diseases in which differentiation/activation of osteoclast are involved, such as osteoporosis.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical agents characterized by containing benzophenone derivatives represented by the general formula: wherein the each substituent is as defined in the specification, or salts thereof have suppressive effect on RANKL production, suppressive effect on OPG reduction and inhibitory effects on differentiation/activation of osteoclasts, and are extremely useful for treating, for example therapy and/or prevention, of various diseases in which differentiation/activation of osteoclast are involved, such as osteoporosis.

Abstract: Disclosed are use of a benzophenone derivative represented by general formula (I) or a salt thereof and one or more immunosuppressing agents in combination, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the benzophenone derivative or a salt thereof and one or more immunosuppressing agents. The use and the composition are useful for treatment or prevention of autoimmune diseases and the like. (In the formula, R1 represents an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, a substituted phenyl group or the like; Z represents an alkylene group or the like; R2 represents a carboxyl group, which may be protected by an alkyl group, or the like; R3 represents an optionally protected hydroxyl group or the like; R4 represents an optionally substituted cycloalkyloxy group or the like; and R5 represents a hydrogen atom or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are a use of a benzophenone derivative or a salt thereof and one or more TNF? inhibitors in combination, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the benzophenone derivative or a salt thereof and one or more TNF? inhibitors. The use and the composition are useful for treatment or prevention of autoimmune diseases and the like.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical agents characterized by containing benzophenone derivatives represented by the general formula: wherein the each substituent is as defined in the specification, or salts thereof have suppressive effect on RANKL production, suppressive effect on OPG reduction and inhibitory effects on differentiation/activation of osteoclasts, and are extremely useful for treating, for example therapy and/or prevention, of various diseases in which differentiation/activation of osteoclast are involved, such as osteoporosis.

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: Autoimmune diseases, cell adhesion inhibition and immunomodulation are treated or effected by a method, comprising, treating a patient with a therapeutically effective amount of a 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one compound represented by the following formula or a salt thereof: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is an unsubstituted or halogen-substituted alkyl, alkenyl or aryl group; R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or acyl group; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a cyano, azido, carboxyl, hydroxyl, formyl or alkoxycarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, phenoxy, cycloalkyl, carbamoyl, amino or phenyl group; R.sup.4 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a nitro, cyano, carboxyl, acyl, hydroxyl or alkoxycarbonyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, phenylthio, alkynyl, alkenyl, sulfamoyl, alkanesulfonyl, alkanesulfonyl, amidino, phenyl or heterocyclic group or a group of the formula ##STR2## where R.sup.

Abstract: A 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one derivative of the general formura ?1!, ##STR1## or a salt thereof exerts excellent effects on immunomodulation and cell adhesion inhibition, and is further expected to have the effect of relieving autoimmune diseases at a level comparable to that of steroids. Thus, the compound of the general formula ?1! is useful in the teatment and prevention of autoimmune diseases fundamentally caused by immunopathy or unusually accelerated cell adhesion, for example, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease,polyarteritis nodosa, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, Sjogren's syndrome, Behcet's disease, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diabetes, Hashimoto's disease, psoriasis, primary myxedema, pernicious anemia, serious adynamia, ulcerative colitis, chronic active hepatitis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and the like.