Therapeutic compounds have the formula: (X)j--(core moiety), J being an integer from one to three, the core moiety having at least one, five- to seven-membered ring and X being a racemic mixture, R or S enantiomer, slovate, hydrate, or salt of: ##STR1## *C is a chiral carbon atom, n is an integer from one to four (preferably from one to three), one or more carbon atoms of (CH.sub.2).sub.n may be substituted by a keto or hydroxy group, and m is an integer from one to fourteen. Independently, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be a hydrogen, a straight or branched chain alkane or alkene of up to twelve carbon atoms in length, or --(CH.sub.2).sub.w R.sub.5, w being an integer from two to fourteen and R.sub.5 being a mono-, di- or tri-substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, substituents on R.sub.5 being hydroxy, chloro, fluoro, bromo, or C.sub.1-6 alkoxy. Or jointly, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 form a substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic group having from four to eight carbon atoms, N being a hetero atom. R.sub.3 is a hydrogen or C.sub.1-3. Or, therapeutic compounds may also have the formula: ##STR2## R.sub.4 is a hydrogen, a straight or branched chain alkane or alkene of up to eight carbon atoms in length, --(CH.sub.2).sub.w R.sub.5, w being an integer from two to fourteen and R.sub.5 being a mono-, di- or tri-substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, substituents on R.sub.5 being hydroxy, chloro, fluoro, bromo, or C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, or a substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic group having from four to eight carbon atoms, N being a hetero atom. r and s are independently integers from one to four, the sum (r+s) not being greater than five. t is an integer from one to fourteen and one or more carbon atoms of (CH.sub.2).sub.s or (CH.sub.2).sub.t may be substituted by a keto or hydroxy group.