The subject invention provides
ginkgolide C derivatives compounds having the structure: wherein R is H or -A-Ar, where A is an
alkyl group; and Ar is an
aryl group, which may contain heteroatoms and may be unsubstituted or substituted by one to five substituents each selected from the group consisting of
hydrogen, alkoxy, —CH2CO2R4, and —CH2CONR5R6; where R4 is an
alkyl group; and R5 and R6 are each, independently,
hydrogen or a branched or unbranched
alkyl group; wherein R1 is H or —COR7, where R7 is alkyl,
aryl or amino; wherein R2 is present or absent, and when present is H, —COR8 or —CO-Z-R8; where R8 is alkyl,
aryl or amino; and Z is
oxygen; wherein R3 is present or absent, and when present is —COR9; where R9 is alkyl or aryl; wherein only one of R2 or R3 is present in the compound; wherein only two of R, R1, R2 and R3 are H; and wherein each of a and b designates a single
covalent bond which is present or absent, where bond a is present when R3 is absent and bond b is present when R2 is absent; or an optically pure
enantiomer of the compound. Additionally, the subject invention provides methods of inhibiting the activity of a
glycine receptor using these compounds.