Elias Adikwu
1*, Bonsome Bokolo
21 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria.
2 Departmen of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Abstract
Background: Tramadol (TD) has played an important role in the
treatment of pain. However, renal toxicity due to TD abuse is a serious
clinical challenge. This study assessed
the effects of n-acetylcysteine (NAC) and melatonin (MT) on TD-induced renal
toxicity in albino rats.
Methods: Rats were randomized into groups and treated with MT
(10mg/kg/day), NAC (10mg/kg/day) and TD (15, 30, and 45mg/kg/day) respectively.
Rats were pretreated with MT (10mg/kg/day) and NAC (10mg/kg/day) prior to
treatment with TD (15, 30, and 45mg/kg/day) intraperitonialy for 7days
respectively. Rats were sacrificed, serum extracted and evaluated for
creatinine, urea and uric acid. The kidneys were evaluated for malondialdehyde
(MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, (CAT), and glutathione (GSH)
levels.
Results:
Treatment with MT and NAC did not
produce significant (P>0.05) effects on serum creatinine, urea, uric acid
and kidney MDA, SOD, CAT, and GSH levels when compare to saline control. In
contrast, serum creatinine, urea, uric acid and kidney MDA levels were increased
while kidney SOD, CAT, and GSH levels were decreased significantly (P<0.05)
and in a dose-dependent manner in TD-treated rats. Kidneys of TD-treated rats
showed varying degrees of damage which were dose-dependent. However, in all
evaluated parameters, TD-induced alterations were abrogated in NAC and MT
pretreated rats. Abrogations were most
evident in rats pretreated with combined doses of NAC and MT.
Conclusion: The present study showed prospects of
n-acetylcysteine and melatonin as remedies for tramadol associated renal
toxicity.