Meiji Seika Kaisha, Ltd.

Emiko Magome

Toru Sasaki

Yuji Tabata

Kenzo Harimaya

Sesquiterpene derivatives, represented by the following formulae (I) and (II), having progesterone receptor binding inhibitory activity are disclosed. They can be used as therapeutic and prophylactic agents for progesterone-related diseases, for example, as a carcinostatic agent for breast cancer or ovarian cancer, a therapeutic agent for hysteromyoma, endometriosis, meningioma, or myeloma, an abortifacient, an oral contraceptive pill, or a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for osteoporosis or climacteric disturbance. These compounds have no steroid skeleton and, hence, are considered to be advantageously free from side effect inherent in steroid such as found in conventional progesterone receptor binding inhibitors having a steroid skeleton. ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy, or phenylthio; R.sup.2 represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy or C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkanoyloxy; and ---- with letters a, b, c, d, and e attached thereto represent a double bond or a single bond; R.sup.3 has the same meaning as R.sup.2 ; and R.sup.4 represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy.

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Yokohama, Japan

Emiko Magome