A compound of formula: wherein: R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl, substituted or unsubstituted thioalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, and halogen; R 4 is selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl; R 5 is selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl; R 6 is selected from the group consisting of H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl; and R 7 is selected from the group consisting of -C(=O)-(CR y R z) m -R 8, -C(=O)-(CR y R z) m -OR 8, -C(=O)-O-(CR y R z) m -R 8, and -S(=O) 2 -R 9, wherein each m is an integer selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, R y and R z are each independently H, alkoxyl, or halogen, R 8 and R 9 are each independently selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, -CF 3, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloheteroaryl, and NR 10 R 11, wherein R 10 and R 11 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl; p is an integer selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; each R 12 is independently selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, halogen, cyano, amino, -CF 3, -O-CF 3, substituted or unsubstituted cycloheteroaklyl, -NR 13 (C=O)R 14, -S(=O) 2 -R 15, -S(=O) 2 -NR 15 R 16, -SR 16, -C(=O)-R 17, -C(=O)-O-R 18, and -C(=O)-NR 19 R 20, wherein R 13 is selected from the group consisting of H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, R 14 is substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl or -O-R 21, and R 15, R 16, R 17, R 18, R 19, R 20, R 21 are each independently H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl; and wherein the compound is a neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) inhibitor. R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl, substituted or unsubstituted thioalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, and halogen; R 4 is selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl; R 5 is selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl; R 6 is selected from the group consisting of H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl; and R 7 is selected from the group consisting of -C(=O)-(CR y R z) m -R 8, -C(=O)-(CR y R z) m -OR 8, -C(=O)-O-(CR y R z) m -R 8, and -S(=O) 2 -R 9, wherein each m is an integer selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, R y and R z are each independently H, alkoxyl, or halogen, R 8 and R 9 are each independently selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, -CF 3, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloheteroaryl, and NR 10 R 11, wherein R 10 and R 11 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl; p is an integer selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; each R 12 is independently selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, halogen, cyano, amino, -CF 3, -O-CF 3, substituted or unsubstituted cycloheteroaklyl, -NR 13 (C=O)R 14, -S(=O) 2 -R 15, -S(=O) 2 -NR 15 R 16, -SR 16, -C(=O)-R 17, -C(=O)-O-R 18, and -C(=O)-NR 19 R 20, wherein R 13 is selected from the group consisting of H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, R 14 is substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl or -O-R 21, and R 15, R 16, R 17, R 18, R 19, R 20, R 21 are each independently H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl;