The invention is directed to methods to inhibit TGF-.beta. and/or p38-.alpha. kinase using compounds of the formula ##STR00001## or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof wherein R.sup.3 is a noninterfering substituent; each Z is CR.sup.2 or N, wherein no more than two Z positions in ring A are N, and wherein two adjacent Z positions in ring A cannot be N; each R.sup.2 is independently a noninterfering substituent; L is a linker; n is 0 or 1; and Ar' is the residue of a cyclic aliphatic, cyclic heteroaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic moiety optionally substituted with 1-3 noninterfering substituents.