The effects of tramadol on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Tramadol is a centrally acting synthetic analgesic. It has a cardioprotective effect against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in isolated rat heart. We hypothesized that tramadol may exert a similar protective effect on hepatic I/R injury. Hence, the current investigation was designed to study the possible protective effects of tramadol on experimentally-induced hepatic I/R injury in rats.


METHODS
Tramadol was administered 30 min before ischemia following which the rats were subjected to 45 min of ischemia followed by 1 h of reperfusion.


RESULTS
Tramadol attenuated hepatic injury induced by I/R as evidenced by the reduction of transaminases, structural changes, and apoptotic cell death. It decreased the level of inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), TNF-α/interleukin-10 (IL-10) ratio, and nuclear factor-κB gene expression. It also increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 levels in hepatic tissues. Furthermore, it reduced oxidative stress parameters except manganese superoxide dismutase activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that tramadol has hepatoprotective effects against hepatic I/R injury via anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antioxidant effects.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Mona F
MF
Mahmoud
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Samar
S
Gamal
Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Mohamed A
MA
Shaheen
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Hassan M
HM
El-Fayoumi
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014147:Tramadol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D014147:Tramadol; D000637:Transaminases
Angioedema; anti-histamines; chronic urticaria; histaglobulin; urticaria activity score