European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE EFFECT OF SUB-CHRONIC USE OF TRAMADOL ON GAIT AND COGNITIVE-MOTOR FUNCTIONS IN WISTER RATS

*Olorunfemi O.J., Wogu E.U. and Bohr E.L.

ABSTRACT

This research study was done to investigate the Effect of sub-chronic use of Tramadol on Gait Pattern and Cognitive- Motor functions using Navigation Test, Barnes maze test and Gait pattern test. This whole research was carried out in three weeks. Each week, the animals (Wister rats) performed the three tasks. At the end of the three weeks the results gotten were being evaluated. The research was done on 25 Albino Wister rats. They weighed between about 140-160 g. After acclimatization, the rats were divided into five groups which consisted of five rats each, according to the dosage of the drug that was administered. Group one (Control) were not administered with any drug and were made to perform the task. Group two (low dose) received 0.1ml of Tramadol, Group three (medium dose) received 0.2ml of Tramadol, group four (high dose) received 0.3ml of Tramadol, and Group five received 0.1ml of Epinephrine. The drugs were administered intraperitoneally. The groups given Tramadol were allowed to perform all experimental task 5 minutes after Administration and the group given Epinephrine was allowed to perform the tasks 30 minutes after administration. The results were presented as a mean value standard error of means (±sem) and statistical analysis was done using the SPSS and excel. The results further showed that cognitive motor function and gait were significantly (p<0.05) affected by the medium dose and high dose of tramadol. From the results obtained at the end of the three weeks study, groups that received tramadol showed a decline in adaptive locomotion, as they spent more time to complete the task when compared to the control group for Navigation, spatial memory was significantly enhanced as the dose increased as observed in Barnes maze test while quality of gait pattern declined significantly (p< 0.05) as recorded in the Gait Pattern test, conclusively, continuous use of tramadol for a long time surely is hazardous as it affects locomotion and motor coordination coupled with a wobbled gait pattern with increasing dose of tramadol administration in the study.

Keywords: Tramadol, motor functions, gait pattern, Barnes maze, wistar rat.