The present invention provides compounds of formula (I); wherein each of R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 is independently selected from hydrogen, a halogen, a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic and heterocyclic moiety, substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl, alkyloxy, alkylcarbonyl, alkyloxycarbonyl, alkenyl, alkenyloxy, alkenylcarbonyl, alkenyloxycarbonyl, alkynyl, alkynyloxy, alkynylcarbonyl, alkynyloxycarbonyl, aryl, benzyl, arlyoxy, arylcarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl and sulphur equivalents of said oxy, carbonyl and oxycarbonyl moieties, and A is NH, or (CH.sub.2).sub.n, where n is preferably 0, 1 or 2. The invention also relates to methods for preparing the compounds and their uses as CCK receptor ligands and CCK antagonists.