Autoimmune diseases,
cell adhesion inhibition and immunomodulation are treated or effected by a method, comprising, treating a patient with a therapeutically effective amount of a 4H-1-
benzopyran-4-one compound represented by the following formula or a salt thereof: wherein R1 is an unsubstituted or
halogen-substituted
alkyl, alkenyl or
aryl group; R2 is a
hydrogen atom or an
alkyl or
acyl group; R3 is a
hydrogen or
halogen atom or a cyano, azido, carboxyl, hydroxyl, formyl or alkoxycarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted
alkyl, alkoxy, phenoxy, cycloalkyl, carbamoyl, amino or
phenyl group; R4 is a
hydrogen or
halogen atom, a nitro, cyano, carboxyl, acyl, hydroxyl or alkoxycarbonyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, phenylthio, alkynyl, alkenyl, sulfamoyl, alkanesulfonyl, alkanesulfonyl, amidino, phenyl or heterocyclic group or a group of the formula where R6 is a
hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl, cyano or alkoxycarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl, amino, acyl, carbamoyl, alkanesulfonyl, iminomethyl or amidino group and R7 is a
hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, phenyl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclic group, or R6 and R7, when taken together with the
nitrogen atom to which the two are bonded, form a 3- to 7-membered, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; R5 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, thienyl, furyl or pyridyl group; Z is an
oxygen or
sulfur atom or an imino group; and the broken line means a single or
double bond.