Patent ID: 7858664

Claim:
A method of inhibiting histone deacetylase in cells comprising contacting the cells with an effective amount of a compound of formula (I): wherein A is phenyl optionally substituted with alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, hydroxyl, or halo; Y 1 is a bond, or CH 2 , and Y 2 is a bond, L is an unsaturated C 4 hydrocarbon chain with two double bonds, C 6 hydrocarbon chain with three double bonds, or C 8 hydrocarbon chain with four double bonds, said hydrocarbon chain being optionally substituted with C 1-4 alkyl, C 2-4 alkenyl, C 2-4 alkynyl; X 1 is O; and X 2 is NHOH; or a salt thereof; and determining whether the level of acetylated histones in the treated cells is higher than in untreated cells under the same conditions.