Pharmaceutically active ceramide-related compounds

A compound having the formula R.sup.1 --Y.sup.1 --CHZ.sup.1 --CH(NY.sup.2 Y.sup.3)--CH.sub.2 --Z.sup.2, wherein:

• R.sup.1 is a straight-chained alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having from 8 to 19 carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain;
• Y.sup.1 is --CH.dbd.CH--, --C.tbd.C-- or --CH(OH)CH(OH)--;
• Z.sup.1 is OH or a phosphorylcholine attachment-inhibiting group selected from the group consisting of --X.sup.1, --OX.sup.1, --X.sup.2 X.sup.3 and --OX.sup.2 X.sup.3 ;
• Y.sup.2 is H, a phenyl group, an alkyl-substituted phenyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbons in the alkyl chain, or an alkyl chain having from 1 to 6 carbons;
• Y.sup.3 is H or a group having the formula --C(O)R.sup.2 or --S(O).sub.2 R.sup.2 ;
• R.sup.2 is a straight-chained alkyl group selected from the group consisting of (CH.sub.2).sub.3 CH.sub.3, (CH.sub.2).sub.5 CH.sub.3, (CH.sub.2).sub.7 CH.sub.3 and --(CH.sub.2).sub.9 CH.sub.3, an alkenyl having from 1 to 23 carbon atoms in the chain or an alkynyl group having from 1 to 23 carbon atoms in the chain;
• Z.sup.2 is a phosphorylcholine attachment-inhibiting group selected from the group consisting of --X.sup.1, --OX.sup.1, --X.sup.2 X.sup.3 and --OX.sup.2 X.sup.3 ;
• X.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of C(O)H, CO.sub.2 H, CH.sub.3 (C(CH.sub.3).sub.3).sub.2, Si(C(CH.sub.3).sub.3).sub.3, Si(PO.sub.4).sub.2 C(CH.sub.3).sub.3, a phenyl group, an alkyl-substituted phenyl group having from 1 to 6 carbons in the alkyl chain, an alkyl chain having from 1 to 6 carbons, an amino group, a fluorine, a chlorine, and a group having the formula C(R.sup.3 R.sup.4)OH;
• X.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of CH.sub.2 --, C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --, Si(PO.sub.4).sub.2 --, Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --, SiCH.sub.3 PO.sub.4 --, C(O)-- and S(O).sub.2 --;
• X.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of --C(O)H, --CO.sub.2 H, --CH.sub.3, --C(CH.sub.3).sub.3, --Si(CH.sub.3).sub.3, --SiCH.sub.3 (C(CH.sub.3).sub.3).sub.2, --Si(PO).sub.4).sub.2 C(CH.sub.3).sub.3, a phenyl group, an alkyl-substituted phenyl group having from 1 to 6 carbons in the alkyl chain, an alkyl chain having from 1 to 6 carbons, an amino moiety, a chlorine, a fluorine, or a group having the formula C(R.sup.3 R.sup.4)OH, wherein each of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 is independently an alkyl chain having from 1 to 6 carbons, a phenyl group or an alkyl-substituted phenyl group having from 1 to 6 carbons in the alkyl chain;
• and wherein when Z.sup.2 is an amino group, R.sup.2 is an aliphatic chain having from 1 to 9 or from 19 to 23 carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain.