N-substituted 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinones and metal chelates, methods of preparing N-substituted 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinones and metal chelates, and pharmaceutical compositions containing new N-substituted 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinones and/or their metal chelates. Use of N-substituted 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinones and their metal chelates as pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of diseases, such as parasitic and viral infections, conditions associated with inflammation and infection, and conditions mediated by cell-proliferation or collagen formation.