Effects of tramadol on alpha2-adrenergic receptors in the rat brain

Brain Research
Agata Faron-GóreckaMarta Dziedzicka-Wasylewska

Abstract

In recent years, it has been postulated that tramadol, used mainly for the treatment of moderate to severe pain, might display a potential as an antidepressant drug. The present study investigated the effects of acute and repeated tramadol administration on the binding of [3H]RX 821002, a selective alpha2-adrenergic receptor ligand, in the rat brain. Male Wistar rats were used. Tramadol (20 mg/kg, i.p.) administered acutely (single dose), at 24 h after dosing, induced a significant decrease in the alpha2-adrenergic receptors in all brain regions studied. The most pronounced effects were observed in all subregions of the olfactory system, nucleus accumbens and septum, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and cerebral cortex. Repeated treatment with tramadol (20 mg/kg, i.p., once daily for 21 days) also induced statistically significant downregulation of [3H]RX 821002 binding sites in the rat brain. However, the effect--although statistically significant--was less pronounced than in the group treated acutely with the drug. Since drugs such as mianserin and mirtazapine are potent antagonists of central alpha2-adrenergic receptors and are effective antidepressants, it is tempting to suggest that, in addition to other alterations induc...Continue Reading

References

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Citations

Mar 22, 2005·European Journal of Pharmacology·M Olga Rojas-CorralesJuan A Micó
Jul 12, 2005·Journal of the American Medical Directors Association·Nallini GnanadesiganDavid B Reuben
Feb 15, 2013·Pharmacological Reports : PR·Danuta Szkutnik-FiedlerCzesław Sadowski
Aug 30, 2008·Human Psychopharmacology·Sung-Wan KimJin-Sang Yoon
Oct 27, 2016·Neuroscience·Vasiliki Mitsi, Venetia Zachariou
Sep 19, 2017·Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery·Lidia BravoEsther Berrocoso
Aug 26, 2020·The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry·Jacqueline Rakov, Andrew Carroll
Oct 27, 2018·Case Reports in Psychiatry·Mugtaba Osman, Mashael Mustafa
Sep 10, 2017·The Veterinary Journal·Derek AdrianB Duncan X Lascelles

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