This invention is related to carbocyclic and heterocyclic substituted semicarbazones and thiosemicarbazones represented by Formula I: ##STR1## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or
prodrug thereof, wherein: Y is
oxygen or
sulfur; R.sub.1, R.sub.21, R.sub.22 and R.sub.23 are independently
hydrogen,
alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl,
aryl, aminoalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl or carboxyalkyl; or R.sub.22 and R.sub.23, together with the N, form a heterocycle; A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are independently
aryl, heteroaryl, saturated or partially unsaturated carbocycle or saturated or partially unsaturated heterocycle, any of which is optionally substituted; X is one or O, S, NR.sub.24, CR.sub.25 R.sub.26, C(O), NR.sub.24 C(O), C(O)NR.sub.24, SO, SO.sub.2 or a
covalent bond; where R.sub.24, R.sub.25 and R.sub.26 are independently
hydrogen,
alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl,
aryl, aminoalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl or carboxyalkyl. The invention also is directed to the use of carbocycle and heterocycle substituted semicarbazones and thiosemicarbazones for the treatment of
neuronal damage following global and focal
ischemia, for the treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative conditions such as
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), for the treatment and prevention of otoneurotoxicity and eye diseases involving glutamate
toxicity and for the treatment, prevention or amelioration of pain, as anticonvulsants, and as antimanic depressants, as local anesthetics, as antiarrhythmics and for the treatment or prevention of
diabetic neuropathy and
urinary incontinence.