A method of treating, preventing, or ameliorating a pathological condition associated with a melatonin receptor in a mammal by using a pharmaceutical composition containing a compound of formula (I) as a ligand interacting with the melatonin receptor,
R1, R2, R3, R4 and R7 are independently H, halo, alkyloxyl, alkyl or hydroxyl, provided that one of R1, R2, R3 and R7 is X—(CH2)n—R8; R5 is alkyl or arylalkyl; R6 is H or alkyl; X is a bond, O, S, SO, SO2, CO or NH; n=0-10; R8 is alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, NR9R10, or OR9; R9 is H, substituted or unsubstituted arylmethyl, or alkenyl; and R10 is H or alkyl.