Aromatic amide compounds and their production and use

摘要

Aromatic amide compounds of the formula: <IMAGE> (I) wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently hydrogen, a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group; Ar is an optionally substituted aromatic group; the group C - - - -C is C=C or HC-CH; X is hydrogen, CH2COOH or CH2CONHAr; and Y is hydrogen or COOH; provided that when X is CH2COOH or Y is COOH, the COOH may be taken together with the adjacent hydroxy group on the benzene ring to form a lactone ring by dehydration, a quinone form thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof have potent nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion inducing activity, and are thus useful as a drug for the treatment or prophylaxis of degenerative nervous system disorders such as senilic dementis, and Alzheimer's disease.