Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and nonulcer dyspepsia with substituted 2,3-benzodiazepines

A method of treating or preventing irritable bowel syndrome or nonulcer dyspepsia in an individual in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of at least one compound according to formula I:

• wherein:
• R1 is —(C1-C7)hydrocarbyl or —(C2-C6)heteroalkyl;
• R2 is —H or —(C1-C7)hydrocarbyl;
• wherein R1 and R2 may combine to form a carbocyclic 5-or 6-membered ring;
• one of phenyl substituents R3, R4, R5 or R6 is —OH and the remaining phenyl substituents R3, R4, R5 or R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of —(C1-C7)hydrocarbyl, —CF3, —O(C1-C7)hydrocarbyl, —O-acyl, —NH2, —NH(C1-C6)alkyl, —N((C1-C6)alkyl)2, —NH-acyl and halogen;
• * denotes a chiral carbon;
• wherein the bond designated by indicates that the absolute conformation about the chiral carbon may be either (R) or (S);
• or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt of such a compound.