Aryl-link-aryl thiazolidine-dione and aryl-link-aryl oxazolidine-dione compounds are sodium channel blockers; pharmaceutical compositions that include an effective amount of the aryl-link-aryl thiazolidine-dione and aryl-link-aryl oxazolidine-dione compounds and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and a method of treatment of acute pain, chronic pain, visceral pain, inflammatory pain, or neuropathic pain, as well as initable bowel syndrome, Cnohns disease, epilepsy, partial and generalized tonic seizures, multiple sclerosis, bipolar depression, and tachy-arrhythmias by the administration of an effective amount of aryl-link-aryl thiazolidine-dione and aryl-link-aryl oxazolidine-dione compounds are described.