BENZOIC ACID COMPOUNDS AND MEDICINAL USE THEREOF

摘要

Benzoic acid compounds represented by general formula (I), optical isomers thereof, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification; medicinal compositions consisting of these compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable additives; and serotonin 4 receptor agonists, drugs for ameliorating digestive tract functions, and remedies for various digestive diseases each containing these compounds as the active ingredient. Because of having a high selective affinity for the serotonin 4 receptor and showing agonism, the compounds are useful as drugs for preventing and treating various digestive diseases (e.g., reflux esophagitis; reflux gastroesophageal diseases accompanying cystic fibrosis such as gastroesophageal reflux; Barrett syndrome; pseudoileus; acute or chronic gastritis; gastroduodenal ulcer; Crohn's disease; non-ulcer dyspepsia; ulcerous colitis; postgastrectomy syndrome; postanesthetic digestive tract dysfunction; delayed gastric excretion caused by gastric neurosis, gastric ptosis, diabetes, etc.; gastrointestinal disorders such as maldigestion, ballonnement and abdominal unidentified complaint; constipation due to atonic constipation, chronic constipation, spinal cord injury, pelvic floor insufficiency, etc.; and irritable intestinal syndrome), central nervous system disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, memory disorder, and dementia), action disorders of heart (e.g., cardiac insufficiency and cardiac muscle ischemia), and urologic diseases (e.g., urinary obstruction, ureterolithiasis, prostatic hypertrophy, urinary difficulty accompanying spinal cord injury, and pelvic floor insufficiency). Further, theses compounds are excellent in absorption characteristics.