2-SACCHARINYLMETHYLHETEROCYCLIC CARBOXYLATES OR THEIR BASIC ACID-ADDITIVE SALTS OR ACID BASIC-ADDITIVE SALTS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION INHIBITING ACTIVITY OF PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES

4-R -R -2-Saccharinylmethyl heterocyclic carboxylates, having the formula: wherein: Het is a 5- or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle or a 9- or 10-membered bicyclic heterocycle containing from 1 to 2 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur or said heterocycles substituted by from one to three, the same or different, members of the group consisting of lower-alkyl, perfluorolower-alkyl, lower-alkoxy, oxo, phenyl, halogen, and -O-(C2-C10 alkylene)-N=B where N=B is dilower-alkylamino, 1-pyrrolidinyl, 1-piperidinyl, 4-morpholinyl, 1-piperazinyl, or 4-lower-alkyl-1-piperazinyl; R is hydrogen, halogen , lower-alkyl, perfluorolower-alkyl, perchlorolower-alkyl, lower-alkenyl, lower-alkynyl, cyano, carboxamido, amino, lower-alkylamino, dilower-alkylamino, lower-alkoxy, benzyloxy, lower-alkoxycarbonyl, hydroxy or phenyl; and R is hydrogen or from one to two substituents in any of the 5-, 6- or 7-positions. The compounds of the present invention inhibit the activity of serine proteases, specifically human leukocyte elastase and the chymotrypsin-like enzymes, and are thus useful in the treatment of degenerative disease conditions such as emohysema, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, bullous pemphigoid and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.