Substituted pyridines and their uses

1. A compound according to structural formula (I):

including a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and/or N-oxide thereof, wherein:

Y is selected from the group consisting of NR 3 +, SR 2 +, NH 3 +, NO 2 , SO 2 R, SO 2 Aryl, COOH, OAryl, COOR, —C(O)R, SH, SR, OH, —C≡CR, Aryl, —CH═CR 2 , NH 2 , NHR 1 , and NR 1 R 2 ;

p is 0, 1 or 2;

q is an integer between 1 and 6, inclusive;

each R individually is a hydrogen, alkyl, or an aryl;

each R 1 and R 2 individually is an alkyl or aryl;

X is NH or NR 3 ;

R 3 is an alkyl or aryl; and

A is selected from alkyl, aryl, aryl substituted with a halo, lower haloalkyl, or lower haloalkoxy, and alkoxy, with the proviso that the compound

is not included.

2. The compound of claim 1 in which Y is —NO 2 .

3. The compound of claim 1 in which p is 2.

4. The compound of claim 1 in which q is 2.

5. The compound of claim 1 in which A is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl and t-butoxy.

6. The compound of claim 1 in which A is a phenyl or a phenyl substituted with a halo, lower haloalkyl, or lower haloalkoxy.

7. The compound of claim 6 in which the substituted phenyl is monosubstituted.

8. The compound of claim 7 in which the substituted phenyl is monosubstituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of halo, lower haloalkyl, and lower haloalkoxy.

9. The compound of claim 1 which is selected from the group consisting of compounds 40, 42 and 41.

10. A composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and a compound according to claim 1 .