Background and Objectives: Tramadol has played an important role in the treatment of pain. However, there are reported cases of tramadol abuse, characterized by renal toxicity. This study assessed the effects of n-acetylcysteine (NAC) and melatonin (MT) on tramadol-induced renal toxicity. Effects were evaluated on serum levels of creatinine, urea, uric acid. and kidney levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) of albino rats.
Materials and Methods: Animals were randomized into groups and were treated with MT (10mg/kg), NAC (10mg/kg). and pretreated with NAC and MT prior to treatment with tramadol (25, 50, 75mg/kg), intraperitonialy for 7 days. Animals were sacrificed, serum extracted and evaluated for serum creatinine, urea, and uric acid. The liver was removed via dissection and evaluated for MDA, SOD, CAT, and GSH.
Results : Baseline levels of serum creatinine, urea, uric acid, and kidney MDA were decreased, while kidney levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH were increased significantly (P<0.05) in NAC and MT treated animals when compared to 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) in a dose-dependent manner in tramadol treated animals, when compared to control. However, tramadol-induced alterations in the above parameters where abrogated in NAC and MT pretreated animals. Abrogation of tramadol-induced alterations was most pronounced with pretreatment, using combined doses of NAC and MT.
Conclusion: In the present study, results showed prospects of NAC and MT as remedies for tramadol -associated renal toxicity.