Disclosed are sulfonamide (sulphonamide) compounds also comprising a substituted pyridine ring of formula I, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and methods for their preparation. Specific examples of compounds of formula I include (S)-6-(3-(4-chloro-5-fluoroindolin-1-yl)-2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)-N-(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine-3-sulfonamide, (S)-N-allyl-6-(3-(6-chloro-3,4-dihydroquinolin-1(2H)-yl)-2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)-N-(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine-3-sulfonamide, (S)-6-(3-(6-chloro-3,4-dihydroquinolin-1(2H)-yl)-2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)-N-(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine-3-sulfonamide, (R)-6-(4-(2-(4-fluoro-1H-indol-1-yl)propanoyl)piperazin-1-yl)-N-(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine-3-sulfonamide, and (R)-6-(4-(2-(6-chloro-1H-indol-1-yl)propanoyl)piperazin-1-yl)-N-(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine-3-sulfonamide. Also disclosed is the use of compound of formula I for treating acute, chronic, neuropathic, or inflammatory pain, arthritis, migraine, cluster headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, herpetic neuralgia, general neuralgias, epilepsy, neurodegenerative disorders, psychiatric disorders, anxiety and depression, dipolar disorder, myotonia, arrhythmia, movement disorders, neuroendocrine disorders, ataxia, multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, incontinence, visceral pain, osteoarthritis pain, post therapeutic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, radicular pain, sciatica, back pain, head or neck pain, severe or intractable pain, nociceptive pain, breakthrough pain, postsurgical pain, cancer pain, stroke, cerebral ischemia, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stress- or exercise induced angina, palpitations, hypertension, migraine, or abnormal gastro-intestinal motility.
