Patent ID: 7229988

Claim:
A method of protecting neuronal cells from damage caused by a reactive oxygen species or a neuro-excitotoxic factor, the method comprising: administering a compound to a patient in need of protection of neuronal cells from damage caused by a reactive oxygen species (ROS) or a neuro-excitotoxic factor selected from the group consisting of Fe ++ and Zn ++ , wherein the compound is represented by the following formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: wherein R 1 denotes hydrogen, or a straight or branched acyl; wherein R 2 denotes hydrogen or alkyl; wherein R 3 denotes CO 2 H, CONH 2 , or CONR 4 R 5 ; wherein R 4 denotes hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; and wherein R 5 denotes heterocyclic unsaturated or saturated radical having 1 to 4 heteroatoms of elements nitrogen, oxygen and/or sulfur, the heterocyclic radical being selected from the group consisting of furanyl, oxazolyl, isooxazolyl, thiophenyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiadiazoyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, triazinyl, triazolyl, and tetrazolyl, it being possible for the heterocyclic radical to be substituted once or twice, identically or differently, by halogen, C 1˜2 -alkyl, C 1˜4 -alkoxy, C 1˜4 -alkylthio, hydroxy, mercapto, trifluoromethyl, nitro, phenyl, nitrile, carboxy or C 1˜4 -alkoxycarbonyl.