Novel compounds of structural formula (I) are antagonists and/or inverse
agonists of the Cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor and are useful in the
treatment, prevention and suppression of diseases mediated by the CB1
receptor. The compounds of the present invention are useful as
psychotropic drugs in the treatment of psychosis, memory deficits,
cognitive disorders, migraine, neuropathy, neuro-inflammatory disorders
including multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barre syndrome and the
inflammatory sequelae of viral encephalitis, cerebral vascular accidents,
and head trauma, anxiety disorders, stress, epilepsy, Parkinson's
disease, movement disorders, and schizophrenia. The compounds are also
useful for the treatment of substance abuse disorders, the treatment of
obesity or eating disorders, as well as, the treatment of asthma,
constipation, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and cirrhosis of the
liver.
