Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase

An inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase represented by the following formula:

• A-B-C
• wherein:
• A is an α-keto heterocyclic pharmacophore for inhibiting the fatty acid amide hydrolase;
• B is a chain for linking A and C, said chain having a linear skeleton of between 3 and 9 atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen, the linear skeleton having a first end and a second end, the first end being covalently bonded to the α-keto group of A, with the following proviso:
• if the first end of said chain is an α-carbon with respect to the α-keto group of A, then the α-carbon is optionally mono- or bis-functionalized with substituents selected from the group consisting of fluoro, chloro, hydroxyl, alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, and alkyl;
• and
• C is an activity enhancer for enhancing the inhibition activity of said α-keto heterocyclic pharmacophore, said activity enhancer having at least one p-unsaturation situated within a p-bond containing radical selected from a group consisting of aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and ring structures having at least one unsaturation, with or without one or more heteroatoms, said activity enhancer being covalently bonded to the second end of the linear skeleton of B, the p-unsaturation within the p-bond containing radical being separated from the α-keto group of A by a sequence of no less than 4 and no more than 9 atoms bonded sequentially to one another, inclusive of said linear skeleton.