Amino alcohol derivatives with a primary amino group or a substituted amino group influence the synthesis of glycolipids and have antiviral, antitumor, metastasis inhibiting and neural cell growth enhancing functions. The amino alcohol derivatives are useful in preparing 2-acylamino alcohol derivatives.

Disclosed is an agent for curing neuronal diseases caused by disorders of peripheral nervous system or central nervous system, which comprises a 2-acylaminopropanol derivative represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## [wherein R.sup.1 represents a phenyl group or cyclohexyl group each of which may be substituted by 1 to 3 same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy and nitro, or represents an alkyl group, and n represents an integer of 0 to 16] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an effective ingredient. It accelerates neurite extension and synapse formation by elevating biosynthesis of endogenous sphingoglycolipid of neurocytes, particularly ganglioside, whereby it can be used for curing various diseases of central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.

Plasmodium is shown to have an inhibition sensitive sphingomyelin synthase activity necessary for ring and early trophozoite maturation. Inhibitors can therefore be used to identify malarial infection which can differentiate between inhibition sensitive Plasmodium sphingomyelin synthase and mammalian synthase. Inhibitors of interest include 1-phenyl-3-morpholino-2-acylated-aminopropanol-1.

The present invention is a novel method for the treatment of renal hypertrophy and hyperplasia associated with diabetic nephropathy. The method of the present invention generally comprises the administration to the diabetic patient of a compound which inhibits glycosphingolipid synthesis, more particularly, an inhibitor of GlcCer synthase or 3-ketodihydrosphingosine synthase.

This invention relates to a 2-acylaminopropanol compound represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 represents a phenyl group which may be substituted by 1 to 3 same or different substituents selected from alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl and nitro, R.sup.2 represents the following formula (II), (III), (IV), (V) or (VI), ##STR2## (wherein R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, m and p are those defined in the specification) R.sup.11 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, and n represents an integer of 3 to 15) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.