Patent ID: 7718682

Claim:
A method of inhibiting the activity of TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6, or COX-2, comprising: administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound represented by formula 1: in a physiologically acceptable carrier; wherein Z is: n, m, q and r independently represent integers from zero to 4 provided that n+m≦4 and q+r≦4; p and s are independently integers from zero to 5 provided that p+s≦5; a and b are double bonds which may be present or absent; when present, the double bonds may be in the E or Z configuration and, when absent, the resulting stereocenters may have the R- or S-configuration; R and R′ independently represent hydrogen; C 1 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl, linear or branched alkenyl, —CO 2 Z′, wherein Z′ is hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or other pharmaceutically acceptable counter-ion such as calcium, magnesium, ammonium, tromethamine, tetramethylammonium; —CO 2 R′″; —NH 2 ; —NHR′″; —NR 2 ′″; —OH; —OR′″; halogen; substituted C 1 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl or substituted C 2 -C 20 linear or branched alkenyl; wherein R′″ independently represents C 1 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl, linear or branched alkenyl or aralkyl —(CH 2 ) x —Ar, where x is 1-6; —CONR 2 ″″, where R″″ independently represents hydrogen, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl or optionally substituted C 6 -C 10 aryl or where NR 2 ″″ represents a cyclic moiety; R″ independently represents hydrogen; C 1 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 20 linear or branched alkenyl, —CO 2 Z′, wherein Z′ is hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or other pharmaceutically acceptable counter-ion such as calcium, magnesium, ammonium, tromethamine, tetramethylammonium; —CO 2 R′″; —NH 2 ; —NHR′″; —NR 2 ′″; —OH; —OR′″; halogen; substituted C 1 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl or substituted C 2 -C 20 linear or branched alkenyl; wherein R′″ independently represents C 1 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl, linear or branched alkenyl or aralkyl —(CH 2 ) x —Ar, where x is 1-6; A, A′ and A″ independently represent hydrogen; C 1 -C 20 acylamino; C 1 -C 20 acyloxy; C 1 -C 20 alkanoyl; C 1 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl; C 1 -C 20 alkoxy; C 1 -C 20 alkylamino; C 1 -C 20 alkylcarboxylamino; carboxyl; cyano; halogen; hydroxy; B, B′ and B″ independently represent hydrogen; C 1 -C 20 acylamino; C 1 -C 20 acyloxy; C 1 -C 20 alkanoyl; C 1 -C 20 alkenoyl; C 1 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl; C 1 -C 20 alkoxy; C 1 -C 20 alkylamino; C 1 -C 20 alkylcarboxylamino; aroyl, aralkanoyl; carboxyl; cyano; halogen; hydroxy; nitro; optionally substituted, linear or branched C 1 -C 20 alkyl or C 2 -C 20 alkenyl; or A and B together, or A′ and B′ together, or A″ and B″ together, may be joined to form a methylenedioxy or ethylenedioxy group; and X, X′ independently represent