The present invention relates to new inhibitors of the nucleic enzyme poly(adenosine 5′-diphospho-ribose) polymerase [“poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase” or “PARP”, which is also sometimes called “PARS” for poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase]. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of PARP inhibitors to prevent and/or treat tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis; neural tissue damage resulting from ischemia and reperfusion injury; neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases; to prevent or treat vascular stroke; to treat or prevent cardiovascular disorders; to treat other conditions and/or disorders such as age-related macular degeneration, AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, diabetes, head trauma, immune senescence, inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis and Crohn's disease), muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic and acute pain (such as neuropathic pain), renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock (such as endotoxic shock), and skin aging; to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells; to alter gene expression of senescent cells; or to radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells.