Di-aryl substituted ethane pyridones, particularly ethane pyridones substituted with i) a phenyl, ii) a pyridyl, iii) a thiazole, iv) a pyrimidinyl, v) a pyridazinyl, vi) a furyl, vii) a thienyl, viii) an oxazolyl, ix) an isoxazolyl, or x) an isothiazolyl moiety are phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors useful in the treatment or prevention of asthma; chronic bronchitis; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; adult respiratory distress syndrome; infant respiratory distress syndrome; cough; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in animals; adult respiratory distress syndrome; ulcerative colitis; Crohn's disease; hypersecretion of gastric acid; bacterial, fungal or viral induced sepsis or septic shock; endotoxic shock; laminitis or colic in horses; spinal cord trauma; head injury; neurogenic inflammation; pain; reperfusion injury of the brain; psoriatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; ankylosing spondylitis; osteoarthritis; inflammation; or cytokine-mediated chronic tissue degeneration. Formula (I) wherein X is phenyl, pyridinyl, thiazolyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, furyl, thienyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl.