Iron overload is associated with pathological conditions such as oxidative stress, transfusional iron overload, thalassemia, primary hemochromatosis, secondary hemochromatosis, diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, cancer, radiation injury, neurological or neurodegenerative disorder, Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), macular degeneration, closed head injury, irritable bowel disease, and reperfusion injury. The present invention provides methods and pharmaceutical compositions using desferrithiocin analogs of Formulae (A) and (J) for treating and/or preventing these pathological conditions, metal (e.g., iron, aluminum, a lanthanide, or an actinide (e.g., uranium)) overload conditions, and infectious diseases (e.g., malaria).