as the invention is applicable to the alleviation of existing pain as well as the suppression or inhibition of pain which would otherwise ensue from the imminent pain causing event in a preferred embodiment of the present invention anti epileptic compounds having pain alleviating properties include those that have the following formula i wherein r 1 is hydrogen or a lower alkyl n is an integer of from 4 to 6 and the cyclic ring is optionally substituted and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof the term lower alkyl includes straight or branched chain alkyl groups of up to eight carbon atoms an especially preferred embodiment utilizes a compound of formula i where r 1 is hydrogen and n is 5 which compound is 1 aminomethyl cyclohexane acetic acid known generically as gabapentin other preferred compounds of formula i above include but are not limited to ethyl 1 aminomethyl 1 cyclohexane acetate 1 aminomethyl 1 cycloheptane acetic acid 1 aminomethyl 1 cyclopentane acetic acid methyl 1 aminomethyl 1 cyclohexane acetate n butyl 1 aminomethyl 1 cyclohexane acetate methyl 1 aminomethyl 1 cycloheptane acetate n butyl 1 aminomethyl 1 cycloheptane acetate toluene sulfonate 1 aminomethyl 1 cyclopentane acetate benzene sulfonate and n butyl 1 aminomethyl 1 cyclopentane acetate other preferred compounds of formula i above wherein the cyclic ring is substituted for example with alkyl such as methyl.