Method of treating polycystic kidney diseases with ceramide derivatives

A method of treating polycystic kidney disease in a subject having polycystic kidney disease, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by the following structural formula:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein
• R1 is a phenyl group optionally and independently substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of —OR30, alkyl, and —O—[CH2]p—O—;
• each R30 is independently
• i) hydrogen;
• ii) a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl and C1-C6 haloalkyl;
• or
• iii) a C1-C10 alkyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl and C1-C6 haloalkyl;
• each p is independently 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• —N(R2R3) is a pyrrolidinyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C5 alkyl, C1-C5 haloalkyl, hydroxyl, C1-C5 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, C1-C5 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C5 alkylcarbonyl, C1-C5 haloalkoxy, amino, C1-C5 alkylamino and C1-C5 dialkylamino;
• R4 is C6-C8 alkyl;
• and
• Y is —H.