A heterocyclic aromatic amide of Formula I: wherein: a) represents a 6-membered heterocyclic aromatic ring in which X 1 is N, X 2 and X 3 are CH and X 4 is CH, COMe, CMe, CCI, COEt, or CSMe, b) Z is O, S or NOR z in which R z is H or C 1 -C 3 alkyl; and c) A represents (i) C 3 -C 14 cycloalkyl, containing 0-3 heteroatoms and 0-2 unsaturations, substituted with halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 8 acyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6 acyl, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups, or (ii) a C 6 -C 14 bi- or tricyclic ring system containing 0-3 heteroatoms and 0-2 unsaturations, substituted with halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 8 acyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6 acyl, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups, wherein alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl groups are unsubstituted or substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, aryl, arylthio, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 8 acyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, C 1 -C 6 haloalkylthio, carboaryloxy, carboheteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups; wherein aryl groups are phenyl or naphthyl groups and heteroaryl groups are 5 or 6 membered aromatic rings containing one or more heteroatoms, and wherein heteroaromatic rings may be fused to other aromatic systems, wherein aryl and heteroaryl groups are unsubstituted or substituted with one or more groups selected from nitro, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy; C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkylsulfonyl, C 1 -C 6 alkylsulfinyl, C 1 -C 6 OC alkyl, OC aryl, C 3 -C 6 OC cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 5 NHC alkyl, C 3 -C 6 NHC cycloalkyl, NHC aryl, NHC heteroaryl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkylthio, C 3 -C 5 cycloalkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkylsulfinyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloky, heteroarylthio, heteroarylsulfinyl, heteroarylsulfonyl, arylthio, arylsulfinyl, arylsulfonyl, C R y, C(NOR x)R y where R y and R x are independently H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl in which any alkyl or cycloalkyl containing substituent may be substituted with one or more halogens; with the proviso that the following compounds are excluded: - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(1'-benzylpiperidin-4'-yl)picolinamide; - (2'-trans)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(2'-methylcyclohexyl)picolinamide; - (2'-cis)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(2'-methylcyclohexyl)picolinamide; - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(4'-methylcyclohexyl)picolinamide; - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(4'-hydroxycyclohexyl)picolinamide; and - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(2'-hydroxycyclohexyl)picol ina mide. a) represents a 6-membered heterocyclic aromatic ring in which X 1 is N, X 2 and X 3 are CH and X 4 is CH, COMe, CMe, CCI, COEt, or CSMe, b) Z is O, S or NOR z in which R z is H or C 1 -C 3 alkyl; and c) A represents (i) C 3 -C 14 cycloalkyl, containing 0-3 heteroatoms and 0-2 unsaturations, substituted with halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 8 acyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6 acyl, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups, or (ii) a C 6 -C 14 bi- or tricyclic ring system containing 0-3 heteroatoms and 0-2 unsaturations, substituted with halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 8 acyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6 acyl, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups, (i) C 3 -C 14 cycloalkyl, containing 0-3 heteroatoms and 0-2 unsaturations, substituted with halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 8 acyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6 acyl, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups, or (ii) a C 6 -C 14 bi- or tricyclic ring system containing 0-3 heteroatoms and 0-2 unsaturations, substituted with halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, aroyl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy, C 1 -C 8 acyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6 acyl, C 1 -C 6 carboalkoxy or amido unsubstituted or substituted with one or two C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups, - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(1'-benzylpiperidin-4'-yl)picolinamide; - (2'-trans)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(2'-methylcyclohexyl)picolinamide; - (2'-cis)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(2'-methylcyclohexyl)picolinamide; - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(4'-methylcyclohexyl)picolinamide; - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(4'-hydroxycyclohexyl)picolinamide; and - 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-(2'-hydroxycyclohexyl)picol ina mide.