USE OF 5-PHENYL-2-FURAN ESTERS AND AMIDES AS ANTIEPILEPTIC AGENTS

THE USE OF 5-PHENYL-2-FURAN ESTERS AND AMIDES AS ANTIEPILEPTIC AGENTS A method of preventing epileptic seizures in a human or lower animal subject susceptible to said seizures, comprising systemically administering to said subject a safe and effective amount of a compound of the formula: wherein (a) X is halo or nil, and Y is a substituent selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted or halogen-substituted methyl, halo, nitro, amino, and methoxy; and (b) R is N(R3)2, OR1N(R3)2, N(R2)R1N(R3)2, or N(R2)N(R3)2; where R1 is C1-C3 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted with C1-C2 alkyl; R2 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; and each R3 is, independently, hydrogen or lower alkyl; or both R3 groups are connected to form a saturated 5- or 6-membered heterocycle containing 1 or 2 heteroatoms selected from oxygen and nitrogen and said heterocycle is unsubstituted or substituted with lower alkyl or hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl; or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof. Preferably X is halo, preferab1y Y is trifluoromethyl, and R is preferably 3-diethylamino-2,2-dimethylpropoxy.