3-arylindole compounds

A 3-arylindole compound selected from those having the formula:

• ##STR19## wherein Ar is phenyl optionally substituted with one or more substituents from halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, hydroxy, trifluoromethyl, and cyano;
• R.sup.1 -R.sup.4 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, hydroxy, nitro, lower alkylthio, lower alkylsulphonyl, lower alkyl- or dialkyl amino, cyano, trifluoromethyl, and trifluoromethylthio;
• the dotted lines designate optional double bonds;
• R.sup.6 is hydrogen, halogen, trifluoromethyl or lower alkyl;
• R.sup.5 is hydrogen, or cycloalkyl wherein the cycloalkyl is C.sub.3-8, cycloalkylalkyl wherein the cycloalkyl is C.sub.3-8 and the alkyl is C.sub.1-4, lower alkyl or lower alkenyl, optionally substituted with one or two hydroxy groups, or R.sup.5 is a group taken from structures 1a and 1b:
• ##STR20## wherein n is an integer of 2-6, inclusive;
• W is oxygen or sulfur;
• U is nitrogen or CH;
• Z is --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --, m being 2 or 3, or Z is 1,2-phenylene optionally substituted with halogen or trifluoromethyl, or Z is --CH.dbd.CH--, --COCH.sub.2 --, or --CSCH.sub.2 --;
• V is oxygen, sulphur, CH.sub.2, or NR.sup.7, wherein R.sup.7 is hydrogen or lower alkyl or lower alkenyl, cycloalkyl wherein the cycloalkyl is C.sub.3-8 or cycloalkylalkyl wherein the cycloalkyl is C.sub.3-8 and the alkyl is C.sub.1-4, optionally substituted with one or two hydroxy groups;
• U.sup.1 is oxygen, sulphur, CH.sub.2, or a group NR.sup.8, wherein R.sup.8 is hydrogen or lower alkyl or lower alkenyl, cycloalkyl wherein the cycloalkyl is C.sub.3-8 or cycloalkylalkyl wherein the cycloalkyl is C.sub.3-8 and the alkyl is C.sub.1-4, optionally substituted with one or two hydroxy groups;
• and
• V.sup.1 is NR.sup.9 R.sup.10, OR.sup.11, SR.sup.12, or CR.sup.13 R.sup.14 R.sup.15, wherein each of R.sup.9 -R.sup.15 is independently selected from among the R.sup.8 substituents;
• provided that R.sup.5 may not be methyl when R.sup.1 -R.sup.4 each are hydrogen, and Ar is phenyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts or a prodrugs thereof.