Tetrahydrocarbazoles as active agents for inhibiting VEGF production by translational control

1. A method for inhibiting VEGF production in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a VEGF-inhibiting amount of a compound of Formula (Ia)

or an enantiomer, a diastereomer, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or a mixture thereof,

wherein:

(a) X is selected from the group consisting of:

a substituted or unsubstituted

and NR 9 R 10 ;

wherein NR 9 R 10 is selected from the group consisting of:

a substituted or unsubstituted

wherein X is optionally substituted with substituents selected from the group consisting of:

(b) R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each —H;

(c) n is 1 or 2;

(d) R 4 , R 6 and R 7 are each independently —H, or halo;

(e) R 5 is independently —OH, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring, substituted or unsubstituted amino, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted phenoxy, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, or substituted or unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl, or hydroxycarbonyl;

(f) R 8 is H; and

(g) W is N;

wherein the term “substituted” in R 5 denotes that a moiety has one or more hydrogen atoms replaced by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R 30 and R 31 are each independently H or alkyl; or R 30 and R 31 together with the nitrogen to which they are bound form a 5-7 membered nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring; and

(h) with the proviso that a compound of Formula (Ia) is not a compound having the structure:

2. A method for inhibiting angiogenesis in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an anti-angiogenic amount of a compound of Formula (Ia)

or an enantiomer, a diastereomer, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or a mixture thereof,

wherein:

(a) X is selected from the group consisting of:

a substituted or unsubstituted

and NR 9 R 10 ;

wherein NR 9 R 10 is selected from the group consisting of:

a substituted or unsubstituted

wherein X is optionally substituted with substituents selected from the group consisting of:

(b) R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each —H;

(c) n is 1 or 2;

(d) R 4 , R 6 and R 7 are each independently —H or halo;

(e) R 5 is independently —OH, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, nitro cyano, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring, substituted or unsubstituted amino, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted phenoxy, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, or substituted or unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl, or hydroxycarbonyl;

(f) R 8 is H; and

(g) W is N;

wherein the term “substituted” in R 5 denotes that a moiety has one or more hydrogen atoms replaced by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R 30 and R 31 are each independently H or alkyl; or R 30 and R 31 together with the nitrogen to which they are bound form a 5-7 membered nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring; and

(h) with the proviso that a compound of Formula (Ia) is not a compound having the structure:

3. A method for treating a disease selected from the group consisting of cancer, diabetic retinopathy, exudative macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, obesity, and chronic inflammation in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula (Ia)

or an enantiomer, a diastereomer, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or a mixture thereof,

wherein:

(a) X is selected from the group consisting of:

a substituted or unsubstituted

and NR 9 R 10;

wherein NR 9 R 10 is selected from the group consisting of:

a substituted or unsubstituted

wherein X is optionally substituted with substituents selected from the group consisting of:

(b) R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each —H;

(c) n is 1 or 2;

(d) R 4 , R 6 and R 7 are each independently —H or halo;

(e) R 5 is independently —OH, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, nitro cyano, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring, substituted or unsubstituted amino, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted phenoxy, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, or substituted or unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl, or hydroxycarbonyl;

(f) R 8 is H; and

(g) W is N;

wherein the term “substitued” in R 5 denotes that a moiety has one or more hydrogen atoms replaced by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R 30 and R 31 are each independently H or alkyl; or R 30 and R 31 together with the nitrogen to which they are bound form a 5-7 membered nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring; and

(h) with the proviso that a compound of Formula (Ia) is not a compound having the structure:

4. A method for inhibiting VEGF production in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a VEGF-inhibiting amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of: