Disclosed herein are DMZ-derived compositions for and methods of modulating the expression and/or function of disease associated and/or diseasing causing secondary RNA structures and tertiary RNA structures.

Disclosed herein are DMZ-derived compositions for and methods of modulating the expression and/or function of disease associated and/or diseasing causing secondary RNA structures and tertiary RNA structures.

The present invention discloses novel pentamidine analogues such as pentamidine analogs having the general formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: X is C, N, or CHCH, Y is Y1 when X is N, and Y is Y1 and Y2 when X is C, or CHCH, Y1, or Y1 and Y2 independently, are selected from H, hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano or thiol, wherein the lower alkyl or alkoxy is optionally substituted with one or more of hydroxyl, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, thiol, or a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or non-aromatic ring, optionally substituted with one or more of hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano or thiol, wherein Y1 is not H when X is N; or Y1 is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or non-aromatic ring, optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, carboxy, or thiol, and Y2 is H, if present; or Y1 and Y2 together with X form a 5- to 8-membered hydrocarbon ring, optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, carboxyl, or thiol; Z is phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, carboxyl, or thiol; and R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 are each independently H, hydroxyl, halogen, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy;
as well as related pentamidine analogs and their use to inhibit bacterial growth and treat bacterial infection.

The present invention discloses novel pentamidine analogues such as pentamidine analogs having the general formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: X is C, N, or CHCH, Y is Y1 when X is N, and Y is Y1 and Y2 when X is C, or CHCH, Y1, or Y1 and Y2 independently, are selected from H, hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano or thiol, wherein the lower alkyl or alkoxy is optionally substituted with one or more of hydroxyl, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, thiol, or a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or non-aromatic ring, optionally substituted with one or more of hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano or thiol, wherein Y1 is not H when X is N; or Y1 is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or non-aromatic ring, optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, carboxy, or thiol, and Y2 is H, if present; or Y1 and Y2 together with X form a 5- to 8-membered hydrocarbon ring, optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, carboxyl, or thiol; Z is phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, carboxyl, or thiol; and R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 are each independently H, hydroxyl, halogen, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy;
as well as related pentamidine analogs and their use to inhibit bacterial growth and treat bacterial infection.

Compounds and methods for the treatment of a bacterial infection or the potentiation of an antibiotic in treating a bacterial infection are described herein.

Compounds and methods for the treatment of a bacterial infection or the potentiation of an antibiotic in treating a bacterial infection are described herein.