Tetralones with pharmacological activity

A compound of formula I:

• ##STR16## wherein:
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent hydrogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, hydroxyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, formyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylcarbonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylthiocarbonyl, carboxyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxycarbonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxythiocarbonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylcarbonyloxy, C.sub.1-4 alkylthiocarbonyloxy, hydroxy-(C.sub.1-4) alkyl , mercapto-(C.sub.1-4) alkyl, perfluoro(C.sub.1-4)alkyl, nitro, amino, cyano, halogen, trifluoromethoxy, ethynyl, trimethylsilylethynyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylsulphinyl, arylsulphinyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylsulphonyl, arylsulphonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxysulphinyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxysulphonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylcarbonylamino, C.sub.1-4 alkoxycarbonylamino, aminosulphinyl, aminosulphonyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkylsulphinylamino, C.sub.1-4 alkylsulphonylamino, C.sub.1-4 alkoxysulphinylamino, C.sub.1-4 alkoxysulphonylamino, (C.sub.1-4 alkyl)carbonyl, (C.sub.1-4 alkyl), nitro-(C.sub.1-4 alkyl), cyano-(C.sub.1-4 alkyl), (C.sub.1-4 alkyl)C(.dbd.NOH), (C.sub.1-4 alkyl)C(.dbd.NNH2) or (C.sub.1-4 alkoxy)C(.dbd.NH), the above amino groups being optionally substituted by one or two C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups;
• R.sup.3 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl;
• R.sup.4 is C.sub.1-4 alkyl, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 together form a C.sub.2-5 polymethylene chain;
• either R.sup.5 represents hydroxyl, acetoxy or formyloxy and R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are both hydrogen;
• R.sup.5 together with R.sup.6 form a carbonyl group and R.sup.7 is hydrogen;
• or R.sup.5 and R.sup.7 together form a bond and R.sup.4 is hydrogen;
• R.sup.8 is 1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-1-pyridyl or 1,2-dihydro-2-thioxo 1-pyridyl, both of them being optionally substituted by a group R.sup.9 ;
• R.sup.9 is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom or a C.sub.1-4 alkyl, hydroxyl, nitro, or amino group, the amino group being optionally substituted by one or two C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups;
• or a salt thereof.