Symmetrically disubstituted aromatic compounds and pharmaceutical compositions for inhibiting poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, and methods for their use

A compound of the Formula VIII:

• wherein:
• R5 is hydrogen, and R6 is a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylamino, arylamino, or R5 and R6 are taken together to form a substituted or unsubstituted five to seven membered heterocyclic ring that contains 1-3 heteroatoms of O, N, or S;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable prodrug of said compound, pharmaceutically active metabolite of said compound, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or metabolite.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a compound of formula VIII:

• wherein:
• R5 is hydrogen, and R6 is a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylamino, arylamino, or R5 and R6 are taken together to form a substituted or unsubstituted five to seven membered heterocyclic ring that contains 1-3 heteroatoms of O, N, or S;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable prodrug of said compound, pharmaceutically active metabolite of said compound, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or metabolite.