A compound of the general formula I: wherein Y is N, CH or N(→O), or an enantiomer, diastereomer, racemate, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein A is a moiety of the general formula II linked through its terminal -NH group to any carbon atom of the pyridine, phenyl, or pyridine oxide ring: X is absent or -(CR 2 R 2) n -; R 1 is absent or 1 to 5 substituents each independently selected from halogen, -CN, -OH, -NO 2, -N(R 6) 2, -OCF 3, -CF 3, -OR 6, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-CON(R 6) 2, -OCOOR 6, -OCON(R 6) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 6,-SR 6, -SO 2 R 6, -SO 2 N(R 6) 2, or -S(=O)R 6, wherein said -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl and -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 6 may optionally be substituted with -OH, -OR 3, -OCF 3,-CF 3, -COR 3, -COOR 3, -OCOOR 3, -OCON(R 3) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 3,-CN, -NH 2, -NO 2, -SH, -SR 3, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -O-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -N(R 3) 2,-CON(R 3) 2, -SO 2 R 3, or -S(=O)R 3, or two adjacent R 1 groups and the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, (C 6 -C 10)aryl, or 6- to 10-membered heteroaryl, provided that when Y is N or N(→O), then the maximal number of R 1 groups is 4; R 2 each independently is selected from H, halogen, -OCF 3, -CF 3, -OR 7,-COR 7, -COOR 7, -OCOOR 7, -OCON(R 7) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 7, -CN, -NO 2, -SH, -SR 7, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -N(R 7) 2, -CON(R 7) 2, -SO 2 R 7, SO 2 N(R 7) 2, or -S(=O)R 7; or two R 2 groups and the carbon atom to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; R 3 each independently is selected from (C 1 -C 8)alkyl, (C 2 -C 8)alkenyl, or (C 2 -C 8)alkynyl; R 4 is selected from H, -COOR 7, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 7, -CN, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, or -CON(R 7) 2; R 5 is selected from H, -OH, -O-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -CO-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -COO-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -CN, or -NH 2; R 6 each independently is selected from H, (C 1 -C 8)alkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, 4-12-membered heterocyclyl, (C 6 -C 14)aryl, or -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-NH 2; R 7 each independently is selected from H, (C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-NH 2, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, 4-12-membered heterocyclyl, or (C 6 -C 14)aryl, each of which other than H may optionally be substituted with -OR 6, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-OCOOR 6, -OCON(R 6) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 6, -CN, -NO 2, -SR 6, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -N(R 6) 2, -CON(R 6) 2, -SO 2 R 6, or -S(=O)R 6; and n is an integer of 1 or 2. wherein Y is N, CH or N(→O), or an enantiomer, diastereomer, racemate, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein A is a moiety of the general formula II linked through its terminal -NH group to any carbon atom of the pyridine, phenyl, or pyridine oxide ring: X is absent or -(CR 2 R 2) n -; R 1 is absent or 1 to 5 substituents each independently selected from halogen, -CN, -OH, -NO 2, -N(R 6) 2, -OCF 3, -CF 3, -OR 6, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-CON(R 6) 2, -OCOOR 6, -OCON(R 6) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 6,-SR 6, -SO 2 R 6, -SO 2 N(R 6) 2, or -S(=O)R 6, wherein said -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl and -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 6 may optionally be substituted with -OH, -OR 3, -OCF 3,-CF 3, -COR 3, -COOR 3, -OCOOR 3, -OCON(R 3) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 3,-CN, -NH 2, -NO 2, -SH, -SR 3, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -O-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -N(R 3) 2,-CON(R 3) 2, -SO 2 R 3, or -S(=O)R 3, or two adjacent R 1 groups and the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, (C 6 -C 10)aryl, or 6- to 10-membered heteroaryl, provided that when Y is N or N(→O), then the maximal number of R 1 groups is 4; R 2 each independently is selected from H, halogen, -OCF 3, -CF 3, -OR 7,-COR 7, -COOR 7, -OCOOR 7, -OCON(R 7) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 7, -CN, -NO 2, -SH, -SR 7, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -N(R 7) 2, -CON(R 7) 2, -SO 2 R 7, SO 2 N(R 7) 2, or -S(=O)R 7; or two R 2 groups and the carbon atom to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; R 3 each independently is selected from (C 1 -C 8)alkyl, (C 2 -C 8)alkenyl, or (C 2 -C 8)alkynyl; R 4 is selected from H, -COOR 7, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 7, -CN, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, or -CON(R 7) 2; R 5 is selected from H, -OH, -O-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -CO-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -COO-(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -CN, or -NH 2; R 6 each independently is selected from H, (C 1 -C 8)alkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, 4-12-membered heterocyclyl, (C 6 -C 14)aryl, or -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-NH 2; R 7 each independently is selected from H, (C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-NH 2, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, 4-12-membered heterocyclyl, or (C 6 -C 14)aryl, each of which other than H may optionally be substituted with -OR 6, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-OCOOR 6, -OCON(R 6) 2, -(C 1 -C 8)alkylene-COOR 6, -CN, -NO 2, -SR 6, -(C 1 -C 8)alkyl, -N(R 6) 2, -CON(R 6) 2, -SO 2 R 6, or -S(=O)R 6; and n is an integer of 1 or 2.