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.