A method for treating a disease state capable of being modulated by inhibition of production of phosphodiesterase IV or tumour necrosis factor, wherein the disease state is a pathological condition selected from the group consisting of asthma, chronic bronchitis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, vernal conjunctivitis, inflammation of the eye, allergic responses of the eye, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, and other arthritic conditions, atopic eczema, keratosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, multi-infarct dementia, senile dementia, memory impairment associated with Parkinson's Disease, depression, tardive dyskinesia, gastroprotection and intermittent claudication, and wherein said method comprises the administration of a compound of formula (I) ##STR9## in which:
- R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 cycloalkylalkyl, C.sub.1-6 heterocycloalkyl, C.sub.1-6 arylalkyl or C.sub.1-6 heteroarylalkyl, any of which is optionally substituted by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of halo, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CO.sub.2 C.sub.1-6 alkyl esters, CONHC.sub.1-6 alkyl amides, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, NR.sup.9 R.sup.10 and SO.sub.2 NR.sup.11 R.sup.12,
- R.sup.3 is phenyl, pyridyl, thienyl, furyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, or C.sub.3-10 cycloalkyl, to any of which is optionally fused a second, carboxylic or heterocyclic ring, and wherein the, or each, ring is optionally substituted at any available position by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of halogens, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, OH, CN, COOH, CO.sub.2 C.sub.1-6 alkyl esters, CONHC.sub.1-6 alkyl amides, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 haloalkyl, NR.sup.9 R.sup.10, SO.sub.2 NR.sup.11 R.sup.12, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl and heterocyclo;
- Y is O or S;
- R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are the same or different and are each II, halo, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CO.sub.2 C.sub.1-6 alkyl esters, CONHC.sub.1-6 alkyl amides, NR.sup.9 R.sup.10 or C.sup.1-6 alkyl, in which alkyl may be optionally substituted by halo, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CO.sub.2 C.sub.1-6 alkyl esters, CONHC.sub.1-6 alkyl amides, NR.sup.9 R.sup.10 or SO.sub.2 NR.sup.11 R.sup.12, or any two adjacent groups R.sup.4 -R.sup.7 and the C atoms to which they are attached form a 5 or 6-membered ring containing 0, 1 or 2 heteroatoms;
- either R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are the same or different and are each H, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, COCF.sub.3, SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3, cycloalkyl, C.sub.1-6 alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, C.sub.1-6 alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulphonyl or C.sub.1-6 alkylsulphonyl;
- or NR.sup.9 R.sup.10 is a 5 or 6-membered ring such as pyrrolidine, piperidine, morpholine, or piperazine ring;
- R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are the same or different and are each H, C.sub.1-6 alkyl or cycloalkyl;
- and
- n=0-3;
- with the proviso that when R.sup.3 is substituted cyclohexyl and n=1, the substitutents do not include COOH (or esters thereof);
- wherein the compound is in the form of a racemate, an enantiomer or a mixture of enantiomers;
- or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate or combination thereof.