Patent ID: 7973034

Claim:
A method of inhibiting an esterase in a subject in need thereof, which method comprises administering to the subject an esterase inhibiting amount of an α,β-diketone of Formula (V): wherein R 31 and R 32 are each independently aryl or heteroaryl, in which the aryl or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 linear or branched alkyl, C 1 -C 6 linear or branched halo-alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, NR 33 R 34 , COOH, or NO 2 , and the heteroaryl is a 5-membered or 6-membered ring containing O, N, or S; or R 31 and R 32 are optionally linked to form an optionally substituted polycyclic aryl or heteroaryl ring system; and R 33 and R 34 are independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 linear or branched alkyl and the esterase is a human intestinal carboxylesterase.