A method of treating a cellular injury in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I: wherein at least one of R1-R8 is a sulfonic acid, a carboxylic acid, a phosphonic acid, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a sulfonic acid, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a carboxylic acid, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a phosphonic acid, a sulfonate ester, a carboxylate acid ester, or a phosphonate ester; and the remaining R1-R8 are each independently selected from hydrogen, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, nitroso, amino, substituted amino, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoy, alkenyloxy, substituted alkenyloxy, alkynyloxy, substituted alkynyloxy, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, substituted cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, substituted cycloalkynyl, cycloalkyloxy, substituted cycloalkyloxy, heterocyclyl, substituted heterocyclyl, heterocyclyloxy, substituted heterocyclyloxy, heterocyclylthio, substituted heterocyclylthio, cyano, acyl, acylamino, acyloxy, aminocarbonyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminothiocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, aryl, substituted aryl, aryloxy, substituted aryloxy, arylthio, substituted arylthio, alkylthio, substituted alkylthio, cycloalkylthio, substituted cycloalkylthio, cycloalkenylthio, substituted cycloalkenylthio, thiol, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, substituted heteroaryloxy, heteroarylthio, substituted heteroarylthio, sulfonyl, or sulfonyloxy.