Heterocyclic derivative and medicine

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the following general formula [I] or its salt. ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents aryl or a heteroaromatic group. R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, or phenyl. R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represent hydrogen or alkyl or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together with the adjacent N atom represent a 5- through 7-membered cyclic amino group. A represents a single bond C.sub.2-10 alkylene. W represents O, S, or (CH.sub.2).sub.n (where CH may be substituted by alkyl; n is an integer of 1 or 2). X, Y, and Z may be the same or different and each represents CH (which may be substituted by alkyl), or N. Provided, however, that the case in which X, Y, and Z concurrently represent CH is excluded. The compound of the invention has excellent neuronal death inhibitory activity and is useful as a therapeutic drug for cerebrovascular diseases.

What is claimed is:

1. A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of cerebrovascular disease which comprises a compound of the following formula or a salt thereof, or a solvate thereof, as an active ingredient; ##STR13##

wherein R.sup.1 represents an aryl group that may be substituted or 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-thienyl, 2-pyrimidinyl, 4-pyrimidinyl, 5-pyrimidinyl, 3-pyridazinyl, 4-pyridazinyl, 1-isoquinolyl, 4-isoquinolyl, 2-quinazolinyl or 1-methyl-2-indolyl that may be substituted;

said aryl group and said 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-thienyl, 2-pyrimidiniyl, 4-pyrimidinyl, 5-pyrimidinyl, 3-pyridazinyl, 4-pyridazinyl, 1-isoquinoyl, 4-isoquinolyl, 2-quinazolinyl or 1-methyl-2-indolyl that may be respectively substituted by 1-3 substituents, whether the same or different, as selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aralkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, haloalkyloxy, alkylthio, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, alkanoyl, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, and nitro;

R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, or phenyl that may be substituted by 1-3 same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, and alkoxy;

R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be the same or different and each represents hydrogen or alkyl that may be substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, alkoxy, amino, monoalkylamino, and dialkylamino, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together with the adjacent N atom represent a 4- through 8-membered cyclic amino group of the formula NR.sup.3 R.sup.4, which may have N, O, or S in addition to said N atom as a ring member and may be substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, oxo, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, aryl that may be substituted, and pyridyl that may be substituted;

A represents alkylene of 2-10 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by 1 or 2 same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, and oxo in optional substitutable positions;

E represents O or S;

W represents a single bond, O, S, or (CH.sub.2).sub.n, where CH.sub.2 may be substituted by alkyl; n is an integer of 1 or 2;

one of X, Y or Z is N or N.fwdarw.O and the remaining two are CH, or CR (where R represents alkyl); thus, ring G represents pyridine or its N-oxide.

2. The pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of cerebrovascular disease as claimed in claim 1 wherein R.sup.1 represents optionally halogen-substituted phenyl; R.sup.2 represents alkyl or haloalkyl; --NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 represents a 4- through 8-membered cyclic amino group containing only one nitrogen atom as a ring-constituting hetero-atom; A represents alkylene of 3-6 carbon atoms; E represents O or S; and W represents a single bond.

3. The pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of cerebrovascular disease as claimed in claim 1 wherein NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 represent piperidino; A represents alkylene of 4-6 carbon atoms; E represents O; and W represents a single bond.

4. The pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of cerebrovascular disease as claimed in claim 1 wherein the active ingredient is a compound selected from the group consisting of 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-6-(3-piperidinopropoxy)pyridine, and 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-6-(5-piperidinopentyloxy)pyridine, or a salt thereof, or a solvate thereof.

5. A compound of the following formula or a salt thereof, or a solvate thereof; ##STR14##

wherein R.sup.1 represents an aryl group that may be substituted or 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-thienyl, 2-pyrimidinyl, 4-pyrimidinyl, 5-pyrimidinyl, 3-pyridazinyl, 4-pyridazinyl, 1-isoquinolyl, 4-isoquinolyl, 2-quinazolinyl or 1-methyl-2-indolyl that may be substituted;

said aryl group and said 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-thienyl, 2-pyrimidiniyl, 4-pyrimidinyl, 5-pyrimidinyl, 3-pyridazinyl, 4-pyridazinyl, 1-isoquinoyl, 4-isoquinolyl, 2-quinazolinyl or 1-methyl-2-indolyl that may be respectively substituted by 1-3 substituents, whether the same or different, as selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aralkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, haloalkyloxy, alkylthio, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, alkanoyl, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, and nitro;

R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, or phenyl that may be substituted by 1-3 same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, and alkoxy;

R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be the same or different and each represents hydrogen or alkyl that may be substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, alkoxy, amino, monoalkylamino, and dialkylamino, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together with the adjacent N atom represent a 4- through 8-membered cyclic amino group of the formula NR.sup.3 R.sup.4, which may have N, O, or S in addition to said N atom as a ring member and may be substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, oxo, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, aryl that may be substituted, and pyridyl that may be substituted;

A represents alkylene of 2-10 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by 1 or 2 same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, and oxo in optional substitutable positions;

E represents O or S;

W represents a single bond, O, S, or (CH.sub.2).sub.n, where CH.sub.2 may be substituted by alkyl; n is an integer of 1 or 2;

one of X, Y or Z is N or N.fwdarw.O and the remaining two are CH, or CR (where R represents alkyl); thus, ring G represents pyridine or its N-oxide.

6. The compound as claimed in claim 5 wherein R.sup.1 represents optionally halogen-substituted phenyl; R.sup.2 represents alkyl or haloalkyl; --NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 represents a 4- through 8-membered cyclic amino group containing only one nitrogen atom as a ring-constituting hetero-atom; A represents alkylene of 3-6 carbon atoms; E represents O or S; and W represents a single bond.

7. The compound as claimed in claim 5, wherein NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 represent piperidino; A represents alkylene of 4-6 carbon atoms; E represents O; and W represents a single bond.

8. The compound as claimed in claim 5, wherein a compound selected from the group consisting of 4-(4-flurophenyl)-2-methyl-6-(3-piperidinopropoxy) pyridine, and 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-6-(5-piperidinopentyloxy)pyridine, or a salt thereof, or a solvate thereof.

9. A method of treating a subject having a cerebrovascular disease comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. A method of inhibiting brain neuronal death in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. A method of inhibiting cerebrovascular disease sequela in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.