Thalidomide analogs and methods of use

A thalidomide analog or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the thalidomide analog is a compound according to general formula I or

• wherein general formula I is
• where Y1 is a bond, —CH2—, or —CH(CH3)—;
• A is general formula II or A is —NH3X where X is an anion with a −1 charge, wherein general formula II is
• where bonds represented by “-----” are optional bonds, and each bond represented by “” is a single or double bond as needed to satisfy valence requirements,
• R1 is —H, —NO2, —NH2, —OC(O)CH3, or —NO2H,
• R2 is —H, —NH2, or —N(H)CH(CH3)2,
• Z1 is CH2, C═O, or CH, and
• Z2 is C═O, CH2, C═S,
• Ring B is:
• where each bond represented by “” is a single or double bond as needed to satisfy valence requirements,
• Z3 is C═O, C═S, or CH;
• Z4 is C═O, C═S, or CH, and at least one of Z3 and Z4 is C═O or C═S,
• R3 is —H or —OH,
• R4 is —H or —CH3 and
• R5 and R6 are both —H or both —CH3;
• wherein:
• if ring B is
• R1 is —H, —NH2 or —NO2, R2 and R3 are —H, Z1 is CH2, and Z2 is C═O, then Y1 is not a bond;
• if ring B is
• R1 and R2 are H, Z1 is CH2 and Z2 is C═O, then Y1 is not a bond;
• if ring B is
• and R1 and R2 are H, then one of Z1 and Z2 is other than C═O;
• and
• if ring B is
• then
• (i) R1 is not —NH2,
• (ii) if R1 is —NO2 and Y1 is a bond, then at least one of Z1 and Z2 is C═O and one of Z3 and Z4 is other than C═O or C═S, or if both Z1 and Z2 are C═O, then Z3 is C═O or C═S and Z4 is C═S,
• (iii) if R2 is —NH2 and Y1 is a bond, then one of Z1 and Z2 is other than C═O, and one of Z3 and Z4 is other than C═O or C═S,
• (iv) if R2 is —NO2 and Y1 is a bond, then one of Z3 and Z4 is other than C═O or C═S,
• (v) if R2 is N(H)CH(CH3)2, Y1 is a bond, Z1 is CH2 and Z2 is C═O, then one of Z3 and Z4 is other than C═O, and
• (vi) if A is —NH3X, X is CF3CO2—, and Y1 is a bond, then at least one of Z3 and Z4 is other than C═O.