Novel therapeutic use

A method of preventing, treating or ameliorating multiple sclerosis, or delaying the onset of or reducing the relapse rate in multiple sclerosis, the method comprising administering, to a patient in need thereof, a pharmacologically effective amount of a compound of general formula I

• wherein
• R1, R2, R3 and R4 are the same or different and independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-12-alkyl, C2-12-alkenyl, C4-12-alkadienyl, C6-12-alkatrienyl, C2-12-alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, formyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, amino, carbamoyl, cyano, guanidino, carbamido, —OR10, —C(O)R10, —C(O)OR10, OC(O)R10, —NR10R11, —C(O)NR10R11, —NHC(O)R10, —SR10, —S(O)R10, —S(O)2R10, —S(O)2NR10R11 and —S(O)OR10, wherein R10 and R11 are the same or different and independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-12-alkyl, C2-12-alkenyl, C4-12-alkadienyl, C6-12-alkatrienyl, C2-12-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl, or wherein R10 and R11, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heterocyclic or heteroaryl ring, each of C1-12-alkyl, C2-12-alkenyl, C4-12-alkadienyl, C6-12-alkatrienyl, C2-12-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl being optionally substituted with one or more, same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C4-6-alkadienyl, C2-6-alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, formyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, amino, carbamoyl, cyano, guanidino, carbamido, —OR12, —C(O)R12, —C(O)OR12, —OC(O)R12, —NR12R13, —C(O)NR12R13, —NHC(O)R12, —SR12, —S(O)R12, —S(O)2R12, —S(O)2NR12R13 and —S(O)OR12, wherein R12 and R13 are the same or different and independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C4-6-alkadienyl, C2-6-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl, or wherein R12 and R13, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heterocyclic or heteroaryl ring, each C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C4-6-alkadienyl, C2-6-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl substituent being optionally substituted with one or more, same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, amino, oxo, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-4 alkylthio, C1-4 alkylamino, C1-4 alkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, —CONH2, S(O)NH2, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl or carbocyclyl, said aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl or carbocyclyl being optionally substituted with one or more of hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, amino, oxo, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-4 alkylthio, C1-4 alkylamino, C1-4alkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, —CONH2 or —S(O)NH2;
• X is O or S;
• R5 is hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-6alkyl, C2-6alkenyl, C2-6alkynyl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C1-6alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxy, amido, thioamido, guanyl, guanidinyl, ureidyl, sulfonyl, trihalomethanesulfonyl, —C(O)OR14, —C(O)R14, wherein R14 is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, C2-6alkenyl, C2-6alkynyl, cycloalkyl or aryl;
• R6 is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, halogen, —OR7, —C(O)R7, —C(O)OR7, —NR7R8, S(O)2NR7R8, wherein R7 and R8 are independently hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, aryl or heterocyclyl, said C1-6alkyl or heterocyclyl being optionally substituted by heterocyclyl, —OR7, —C(O)R7 or C(O)OR7, the zigzag line indicating that the group denoted R6 is present as the E- or Z-isomer;
• A is phenyl or a monocyclic or bicyclic heteroaryl ring, optionally substituted at one or more positions with hydrogen, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-12-alkyl, C2-12-alkenyl, C4-12-alkadienyl, C6-12-alkatrienyl, C2-12-alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, formyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, amino, carbamoyl, cyano, guanidino, carbamido, —OR10, —C(O)R10, —C(O)OR10, OC(O)R10, —NR10R11, —C(O)NR10R11, —NHC(O)R10, —SR10, —S(O)R10, —S(O)2R10, —S(O)2NR10R11 and —S(O)OR10, wherein R10 and R11 are the same or different and independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-12-alkyl, C2-12-alkenyl, C4-12-alkadienyl, C6-12-alkatrienyl, C2-12-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl, or wherein R10 and R11, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heterocyclic or heteroaryl ring, each of C1-12-alkyl, C2-12-alkenyl, C4-12-alkadienyl, C6-12-alkatrienyl, C2-12-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl being optionally substituted with one or more, same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C4-6-alkadienyl, C2-6-alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, formyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, amino, carbamoyl, cyano, guanidino, carbamido, —OR12, —C(O)R12, —C(O)OR12, —OC(O)R12, —NR12R13, —C(O)NR12R13, —NHC(O)R12, —SR12, —S(O)R12, —S(O)2R12, —S(O)2NR12R13 and —S(O)OR12, wherein R12 and R13 are the same or different and independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C4-6-alkadienyl, C2-6-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl, or wherein R12 and R13, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heterocyclic or heteroaryl ring, each C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C4-6-alkadienyl, C2-6-alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl and heterocyclyl substituent being optionally substituted with one or more, same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, amino, oxo, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-4 alkylthio, C1-4 alkylamino, C1-4 alkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, —CONH2, S(O)NH2, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl or carbocyclyl, said aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl or carbocyclyl being optionally substituted with one or more of hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, amino, oxo, halogen, trihalomethyl, C1-4 alkylthio, C1-4 alkylamino, C1-4alkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, —CONH2 or —S(O)NH2;
• the zigzag line indicating that the group denoted A is present as the E- or Z-isomer;
• or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.