HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF ADMINISTRATION OF TRAMADOL ON THE LIVER OF MALE WISTAR RATS
Abstract
Tramadol hydrochloride, a synthetic analgesic drug acting at the central nervous system, is an
opioid agonist that received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for managing pain in
1995. Tramadol rapidly absorbs after oral administration but its bioavailability is about 70% due
to hepatic metabolism, and it completely crosses the blood brain barrier. Its bioavailability in
buccal and nasal administration is much higher than oral administration. This opioid analgesic is
widely being used in reducing pain in cancer patients and some acute pains like postoperative
pains, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and abdominal pain. According to a cross sectional study
on chronic users of tramadol in Gaza strip, the significant higher activity of alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
were observed in tramadol abusers compared to control. In addition, there was significant increase
in levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin in chronic tramadol abusers indicated that
tramadol caused severe damage to liver and induced cellular toxicity. This study was carried out
to determine the chronic effect of orally-administered tramadol on the liver of adult male Wistar
rats and to determine the acute effect of orally-administered tramadol on the liver of adult male
Wistar rats. A total of twenty (20) rats were used for the experiment and were randomly divided
into four groups of five (5) rats each. Rats in group 1 (control) were treated with normal saline,
while those in groups 2, 3 and 4 were placed on 200mg/kg body weight, 400 mg/kg body weight,
and 600 mg/kg body weight tramadol respectively for 14 days. This study revealed a dose-
dependent tramadol toxicity upon histopathological examination of liver sections. The liver
histopathological changes in the current study proved the acute and chronic hepatotoxic effects of
tramadol in adult wistar rats. The hepatic histopathological results in the present study pointed out
the risk of increased hepatic damage due to acute and chronic use of tramadol.
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