A method of treating a pathological condition in a mammal, said condition associated with a retinoic acid receptor activity, said method comprising administering to said mammal a retinoid antagonist or negative hormone capable of binding to a retinoic acid receptor subtype selected from the group consisting of RAR.alpha., RAR.beta., and RAR.gamma., said antagonist or negative hormone being administered in an amount pharmaceutically effective to provide a therapeutic benefit against said pathological condition in said mammal wherein the negative hormone or antagonist has the formula ##STR18## wherein X is S, O, or NR' where R' is H or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbons, R.sub.2 is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbons, F, Cl, Br, I, CF.sub.3, fluoro substituted alkyl of 1 to 6 carbons, OH, SH, alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbons, or alkylthio of 1 to 6 carbons;
- R.sub.3 is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbons or F;
- m is an integer having the value of 0-3;
- o is an integer having the value of 0-3;
- Z is --C.tbd.C--
- --N.dbd.N--,
- --N.dbd.CR.sub.1 --,
- --CR.sub.1 50 N--,
- --(CR.sub.1 .dbd.CR.sub.1).sub.n' -- where n' is an integer having the value 0-5,
- --CO--NR.sub.1 --,
- --CS--NR.sub.1 --,
- --NR.sub.1 --CO,
- --NR.sub.1 --CS,
- --COO--,
- --OCO--;
- --CSO--;
- --OCS--;
- Y is a phenyl or naphthyl group, said phenyl and naphthyl groups being optionally substituted with one or two R.sub.2 groups, or
- when Z is --(CR.sub.1 .dbd.CR.sub.1).sub.n' -- and n' is 3, 4 or 5 then Y represents a direct valence bond between said (CR.sub.1 .dbd.CR.sub.1).sub.n' group and B;
- A is (CH.sub.2).sub.q where q is 0-5, lower branched chain alkyl having 3-6 carbons, cycloalkyl having 3-6 carbons, alkenyl having 2-6 carbons and 1 or 2 double bonds, alkynyl having 2-6 carbons and 1 or 2 triple bonds;
- B is hydrogen, COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, COOR.sub.8, CONR.sub.9 R.sub.10, --CH.sub.2 OH, CH.sub.2 OR.sub.11, CH.sub.2 OCOR.sub.11, CHO, CH(OR.sub.12).sub.2, CHOR.sub.13 O, --COR.sub.7, CR.sub.7 (OR.sub.12).sub.2, CR.sub.7 OR.sub.13 O, or tri-lower alkylsilyl, where R.sub.7 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl group containing 1 to 5 carbons, R.sub.8 is an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons or trimethylsilylalkyl where the alkyl group has 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons, or R.sub.8 is phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 independently are hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5-10 carbons, or phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.11 is lower alkyl, phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.12 is lower alkyl, and R.sub.13 is divalent alkyl radical of 2-5 carbons, and
- R.sub.14 is (R.sub.15).sub.r -phenyl, (R.sub.15).sub.r -naphthyl, and
- R.sub.15 independently H, F, Cl, Br, I, NO.sub.2, N(R.sub.8).sub.2, NH(R.sub.8).sub.2, COR.sub.8, NR.sub.8 CON(R.sub.8).sub.2, OH, OCOR.sub.8, OR.sub.8, CN, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbons, fluoro substituted alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbons, an alkenyl group having 1 to 10 carbons and 1 to 3 double bonds, alkynyl group having 1 to 10 carbons and 1 to 3 triple bonds, or a trialkylsilyl or trialkylsilyloxy group where the alkyl groups independently have 1 to 6 carbons.