This invention relates to carbamate-containing or thiocarbamate-containing galacto-pyranosyl compounds useful as therapeutic agents and being represented by the structural formula (II), wherein: X is O or S, R is selected from the group consisting of C1-8 alkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, aryl-C1-4 alkyl, heterocyclyl-C1-4 alkyl, cycloalkyl-C1-4 alkyl, aryl and heterocyclyl, wherein R is optionally substituted with one or more R9; R2, R3, R4, R6 and R7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl and protected hydroxyl groups; R5 is selected from the group consisting C6-30 alkyl and arylalkyl; R8 is C6-30 alkyl; and each R9 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, C1-8 alkoxy, C1-6 alkyl, cyano, methylthio, phenyl, phenoxy, chloromethyl, dichloromethyl, chloro-difluoromethyl, acetyl, nitro, benzyl, heterocyclyl and di-C1-4 alkyl-amino, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.