Method and composition useful for treating a patient having a disease characterized by an abnormal level of one or more components, the activity of which is regulated or affected by activity of one or more Ca 2+ receptors. Novel compounds useful in these methods and compositions are also provided. The method includes administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a molecule active at one or more Ca 2+ receptors as an agonist or antagonist. Preferably, the molecule is able to act as either a selective agonist or antagonist at a Ca 2+ receptor of one or more but not all cells chosen from the group consisting of parathyroid cells, bone osteoclasts, juxtaglomerular kidney cells, proximal tubule kidney cells, keratinocytes, parafollicular thyroid cells and placental throphoblasts and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.