Disclosed herein is a composition comprising: (A) a lubricant or a hydrocarbon fuel; (B) at least one hydroxy carboxylic acid ester or hydroxy polycarboxylic acid ester having the following generic formula: (I) wherein: R3 is selected from the group consisting of C, - C18 linear or branched alkyl, C - C18 linear or branched alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aryl, and benzyl; and X- is selected from the group consisting of formulae (II), (III) and (IV) wherein: R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CH2CO2R3, CH(OH)CO2R3,alkyl, aryl, alkoxyalkyl, and alkaryl; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, and CH2CO2R3; provided that: if R1 is CH2CO2R3, then R2 is hydrogen or CH2CO2R3; if R1 is CH(OH)COZR3, then R2 is hydrogen; if R1 is alkyl, aryl, alkoxyalkyl, or alkaryl, then R2 is hydrogen or alkyl; R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and CH2CO2R3; R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, and aryl; and R7, R8, R9, and R10 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen C02R3, alkyl, and fused aryl; and, optionally, (C) at least one phosphorus-containing additive.