Compounds of the structure (I) where p and q are zero or one, but cannot both be the same, M is a pharmaceutically acceptable cation or a metabolically cleavable group, B is a valence bond or a straight or branched alkylene group, R is alkyl, cycloalkyl or -NR1R2, where R?1 and R2¿ are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkanoyl, and A is optionally substituted carbocyclic aryl, furyl, benzol[b]furyl, thienyl, or benzol[b]thienyl are potent inhibitors of lipoxygenase enzymes and thus inhibit the biosynthesis of leukotrienes. These compounds are useful in the treatment or amelioration of allergic and inflammatory disease states.