Compositions and Methods for Treating Conditions That Affect Epidermis

A method for treating or alleviating a patient experiencing skin conditions, or for improving the mitochondrial activities, enhancing collagen expressions in the skin, increasing endurance and strength in an individual, or for treating or preventing age related macular degeneration in an individual wherein the compound of Formula I is:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein
• Z is —C(═O)NR5—, —OC(═O)NR5—, —NR7C(═O)O—, or —NR5C(═O)NR5—, wherein each R5 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or heterocyclic;
• Y is a phosphonium group;
• Each R1 is independently hydrogen, or a phosphate group;
• R2 is absent, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkylaryl, alkylarylalkyl, or aryl;
• R3 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkylcycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkylheterocycloalkyl, alkylaryl, or alkylarylalkyl;
• R4 is hydrogen, alkyl, or aryl;
• or
• R4 and a R1 groups together with the nitrogen atoms to which they are attached form a heterocyclic ring containing at least five atoms;
• or
• R4 and R3 groups together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached forming a heterocyclic ring containing at least five atoms;
• at each occurrence, an alkyl is optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents independently selected from halo, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, amino, thio, ether, ester, carboxy, oxo, aldehyde, cycloalkyl, nitrile, urea, amide, carbamate and aryl;
• or at each occurrence, an aryl is optionally substituted with 1-5 substituents independently selected from halogen, azide, alkyl, aralkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, amino, nitro, sulfhydryl, imino, amido, phosphonate, phosphinate, carbonyl, carboxyl, silyl, ether, alkylthio, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, ketone, aldehyde, ester, heterocyclyl, and CN;
• and W is hydrogen or alkyl.