Novel methylenedioxy phenolic compounds and their use to treat disease

A method of treating or preventing cardiovascular disease, vascular disease, inflammatory disease, and Type I and Type II diabetes and dyslipidemia patients at risk for hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular and renal disease in a patient comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of a compound having the formula:

• wherein
• R1 is acetyl, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, hydrogen, lipoyl, dihydrolipoyl, ferulyl, or isomeric-ferulyl;
• R2 is absent or is O2N, hydroxyl, methoxy, ethoxy, branched alkyl of 1 to 8 carbons, acetyl, lipoyl, dihydrolipoyl, ferulyl, a heterocycle selected from the group consisting of imidazole, quinaline, isoquinaline, thiazolidinedione, pyrrolidone and piperidine, carboxyl, methyl ester, ethyl ester, an aliphatic amide of 1 to 3 carbons, an alicyclic amide selected from the group consisting of pyrrolidone and piperidine, an aromatic amide selected from the group consisting of aniline and substituted aniline, amine, an alkylated amine of 1 to 3 carbons, an amide functional group via lipoic acid or dihydrolipoic acid, an aromatic acid selected from the group consisting of ferulic acid and cinnamic acid, a heterocyclic amide derived from proline, substituted proline, or pipecolinic acid, or a halogen;
• and
• R3 is absent or is a linear alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbons, a branched chain alkyl group of 3 to 5 carbons, an alkyl group having a functional group of a free carboxylic acid, ester or amide, free hydroxyl derivatives or alkylated ether derivatives, an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbons having a functional group selected from amine and alkylated amine, an aliphatic amide, an aromatic amide or a heterocyclic amide selected from the group consisting of imidazole, quinoline, isoquinoline, thiozoline, and piperazine, or a halogenated group.