Benzylalcohol phospholipase A.sub.2 inhibitors

A substituted benzylalcohol phospholipase A.sub.2 inhibitor of the formula:

• ##STR62## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein Ar is ##STR63## and Z is H, F, Cl, Br, --OR.sup.1, or --S(O).sub.m R.sup.1, where R.sup.1 is H, methyl, or ethyl, and m is 0, 1, or 2;
• n is 2 or 3;
• X is NH or O;
• and
• R is C.sub.7 -C.sub.25 alkyl, pyridyl, or
• R is benzhydryl, phenyl-(4-pyridyl)methyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.25 alkaryl or substituted alkaryl where the substitution is on the aromatic moiety and is F, Cl, Br, --OR.sup.3, --S(O).sub.r R.sup.3, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl, where
• R.sup.3 is methyl or ethyl, and r is 0, 1, or 2;
• provided that when X is O, n must be 3.