Compositions and methods of modulating short-chain dehydrogenase activity

A method of inhibiting the activity of a short chain dehydrogenase enzyme of cells or tissue of a subject, the method comprising:

• administering to the cells or tissue a compound having the formula (V):
• wherein n=1;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of
• R3 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, —CO2H, —CO2alkyl, —CONH2, —CONH(alkyl), —CON(alkyl)2,
• R2 is N or CH;
• R4 is or NH2;
• R5 is a branched or linear alkyl or
• wherein n2=1-6 and X is any of the following:
• CFyHz (y+z=3), CClyHz (y+z=3), OH, OAc, OMe, or CN;
• each R6 is the same or different and is independently one or more substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C24 alkyl, C2-C24 alkenyl, C2-C24 alkynyl, C3-C20 aryl, heterocycloalkenyl containing from 5-6 ring atoms, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl containing from 5-14 ring atoms, C6-C24 alkaryl, C6-C24 aralkyl, halo, silyl, hydroxyl, sulfhydryl, C1-C24 alkoxy, C2-C24 alkenyloxy, C2-C24 alkynyloxy, C5-C20 aryloxy, acyl, acyloxy, C2-C24 alkoxycarbonyl, C6-C20 aryloxycarbonyl, C2-C24 alkylcarbonato, C6-C20 arylcarbonato, carboxy, carboxylato, carbamoyl, C1-C24 alkyl-carbamoyl, arylcarbamoyl, thiocarbamoyl, carbamido, cyano(-CN), isocyano, cyanato, isocyanato, isothiocyanato, azido, formyl, thioformyl, amino, C1-C24 alkyl amino, C5-C20 aryl amino, C2-C24 alkylamido, C6-C20 arylamido, sulfanamido, imino, alkylimino, arylimino, nitro, nitroso, sulfo, sulfonato, C1-C24 alkylsulfanyl, arylsulfanyl, C1-C24 alkylsulfinyl, C5-C20 arylsulfinyl, C1-C24 alkylsulfonyl, C5-C20 arylsulfonyl, sulfonamide, phosphono, phosphonato, phosphinato, phospho, phosphino, polyalkyl ethers, phosphates, phosphate ester, and combinations thereof;
• R3 is not hydrogen if R1 is an unsubstituted thiophene, or an unsubstituted thiazole and R5 is butyl;
• or R3 is not an unsubstituted phenyl if R1 is an unsubstituted phenyl, thiophene, or thiazole and R5 is (CH2)n5(CH3)(n5=0-5);
• and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.