Derivatives of N,N-diethyl-N′-phenyl-piperazine, a silent agonist of the mammalian α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, are provided. These silent agonists control the desensitization state of the receptor. Further provided are pharmaceutical compositions that allow the administration of the silent agonists of the disclosure to a subject animal or human in need of treatment for a pathological condition arising from such as inflammation. The novel silent agonists also may be co-administered to a patient simultaneously or consecutively with a type II positive allosteric modulator to modulate the activity of the receptor.