One aspect of the present invention relates to substituted pyridines andpharmaceuticallyacceptable salts thereof that are active against a range of mammalianmaladies. The compounds arerepresented by structure A, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:(see structure A)another aspect of the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition,comprising a compound of thepresent invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof； and apharmaceutically acceptableexcipient. The present invention also relates to methods of treating a rangeof mammalian maladies orconditions, including but not limited to hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia,atherosclerosis, coronaryartery disease, congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease,hypertension, coronary heart disease,angina, pellagra, Hartnup's syndrome, carcinoid syndrome, arterial occlusivedisease, obesity,hypothyroidism, vasoconstriction, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis,diabetes, Alzheimer's disease,lipodystrophy, or dyslipidemia, raising serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL)levels, and lowering serumlow-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.
