Abstract: Disclosed herein are compounds (for example, diamidine derivatives and prodrugs) and methods of use thereof, for example in treating muscular dystrophy (DM) or disease caused by a toxic RNA in a subject. In some embodiments, the methods include administering an effective amount of one of more of the disclosed compounds to a subject to treat or inhibit DM or a disease caused by or associated with toxic RNA, such as DM1, DM2, spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8), fragile X tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), or Huntington disease-like 2 (HLD2). In some examples, the methods include selecting a subject for treatment, for example selecting a subject with DM1, DM2, SCA8, FXTAS, or HLD2.

Abstract: A compound having a structure of: wherein X is S, SO, SO2, NR10, O, or Se; R1-R8 are each individually H, amino, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, halogen, alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, nitro, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, cyano, thiol, substituted thiol, thioether, hydroxyl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, or substituted cycloalkyl, or R1 and R2 together form an aromatic ring and R5 and R6 together form an aromatic ring; and R10 is selected from H, amino, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, halogen, alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, nitro, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, cyano, thiol, substituted thiol, thioether, hydroxyl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, or substituted cycloalkyl.