The present invention relates to substituted aromatic compounds for use in prevention or treatment of various fibrotic diseases and conditions in subjects, including pulmonary fibrosis, liver fibrosis, skin fibrosis and cardiac fibrosis, where the compound has the following formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein A is C5 alkyl, C6 alkyl, C5 alkenyl, C6 alkenyl, C(O)—(CH2)n—CH3 or CH(OH)—(CH2)n—CH3 wherein n is 3 or 4; R1 is H, OH or F; R2 is H, OH, F or CH2—OH; R3 is H, OH, F or CH2Ph; R4 is H, OH or F; Q is 1) (CH2)mC(O)OH wherein m is 1 or 2, 2) CH(CH3)C(O)OH, 3) C(CH3)2C(O)OH, 4) CH(F)—C(O)OH, 5) CF2—C(O)OH, or 6) C(O)—C(O)OH.