Large conductance calcium-activated K channel opener

1. A method for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, chronic heart failure, angina, cardiac infarction, cerebral infarction, pollakiuria, urinary incontinence, or, cerebral ischemia, which comprises administering an effective amount of a 5-membered heterocyclic compound of the formula (I):

wherein ring A is a ring represented by one of the formulae:

R 1 is a substituted or unsubstituted thiophene;

R 2 is an alkyl substituted by carboxy; and

R 3 is a substituted or unsubstituted pyridyl, a substituted or unsubstituted pyrimidinyl;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein R 1 is thiophene which may be substituted by a substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of nitro, hydroxy, formyl, carbamoyl, cyano, amino, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, halogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, mono- or di-alkylamino, mono- or di-alkanoylamino, alkylthio, alkylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, sulfamoyl and mono- or di-alkylsulfamoyl

R 3 is (1) a pyridine which may be substituted by a substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of oxo, cyano, nitro, amino, halogen, carboxy, hydroxy, formyl, carbamoyl, mono- or di-alkylamino, N-alkyl-N-cycloalkylamino, aminoalkyl, mono- or di-alkylaminoalkyl, mono- or di-alkylcarbamoyl, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkanoyl, sulfo, alkylthio, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, mono- or di-alkylsulfamoyl, alkylsulfinyl and heterocycle or (2) a pyrimidine which may be substituted by a substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of oxo, cyano, nitro, amino, halogen, carboxy, hydroxy, formyl, carbamoyl, mono- or di-alkylamino, N-alkyl-N-cycloalkylamino, aminoalkyl, mono- or di-alkylaminoalkyl, mono- or di-alkylcarbamoyl, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkanoyl, sulfo, alkylthio, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, mono- or di-alkylsulfamoyl, alkylsulfinyl and heterocycle or (3) an alkyl which may be substituted by a substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, cyano, carboxy, carbamoyl, amino, mono- or di-alkylamino, alkanoylamino, alkylsulfonylamino, hydroxyamino, mono- or di-alkylcarbamoyl, trifluoromethyl, halogen, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, mono- or di-alkylsulfamoyl, alkoxycarbonyl and heterocycle.

3. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein R 1 is a thiophene which may be substituted by halogen or alkyl; and

R 3 is (1) a pyridyl which may be substituted by one or two substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of amino, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, mono- or di-alkylamino and alkylthio or (2) pyrimidinyl which may be substituted by one or two substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of amino, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, mono- or di-alkylamino and alkylthio.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is (1) thienyl which may be substituted by halogen; and R 3 is (1) pyridyl which may be substituted by a substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy and dialkylamino, or (2) pyrimidinyl which may be substituted by alkoxy, alkyl, dialkylamino or alkylthio.

5. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein R 1 is (1) thienyl which may be substituted by halogen;

R 3 is (1) pyridyl which may be substituted by a substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy and dialkylamino, or (2) pyrimidinyl which may be substituted by alkoxy or dialkylamino.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein R 1 is thienyl which may be substituted by halogen; and

R 3 is (1) pyridyl which may be substituted by alkoxy or dialkylamino, or (2) pyrimidinyl which may be substituted by dialkylamino.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 is carboxymethyl.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the Ring A is a ring represented by the following formula:

9. The method according to claim 1 , which is for the treatment of pollakiuria or urinary incontinence.