Prenatal and postnatal development of the rat cerebellar granule cells following maternal administration of thyme and tramadol

Abstract

Introduction: Tramadol abuse is increasing among male and female teenagers with a history of substance abuse and anxiety. Many adolescent addicts take tramadol as substitute for other narcotics. Tramadol uptake is associated with many side effects. Thyme has been presumed to have a neuroprotective effect against brain damage. Aim of the work:To assess the harmful effects of tramadol on the pre and postnatal development of the rat cerebellar granule cells and to evaluate the possible ameliorative effect of thyme if being administered with tramadol simultaneously.Material & Methods: Three sets of forty-eight mature female albino rats were randomly organized into three equal groups; control (G1), tramadol treated (G2) and tramadol+thyme treated (G3). After pregnancy, the pregnant rats of each group were categorized into a group designed to be sacrificed at the gestational ages 13 th , 16th and 19 th for the prenatal study. In the other pregnant rat group, their offspring were further subdivided according to their ages into 3 subgroups (newborn, 10 th and 20 th postnatal day) for postnatal evaluation. G1 was not given any treatment. Tramadol HCL (40 mg/Kg/day) dissolved in tab water was given orally to G2. Tramadol (40 mg/Kg/day) and thyme extract (500 mg/kg/day) were given orally to G3. A light, electron microscopic examination and morphometric analysis were performed in the study. Results: By light and electron microscopic examination, there were degenerative and apoptotic changes in the cerebellar cortex of G2. G3 showed improvement in histological changes. Morphometric results showed a decrease in the cerebellar cortex thickness between the G1 and G2 which was significant and an increase in the cerebellar cortex thickness G3 when compared with that of G2. Conclusion:The study assigns that tramadol administration induces adverse effects on the prenatal and postnatal development of the rat cerebellar cortex. It also highlights an improving role of thyme in tramadol-induced cerebellar cortex injury of the pre and postnatal development.

Evaluation of histological and ultrastructural changes provoked by prenatal tramadol

“…Recent research work has demonstrated that the use of tramadol during pregnancy and lactation have detrimental effects on neuronal development, synapse formation and survival in the cerebrum and cerebellum of the developing progeny (Allen et al 2021). The potential hazards of tramadol on the cerebellum and the function of opioid receptors in the cerebellum have been depicted in a relatively consistent manner by accumulating evidence (Mohamed et al 2022). Tramadol has been documented to cause disruptions in the metabolism of various amino acids that are involved in regulating the neuropathophysiology of the cerebellum and to in uence the activity of several essential enzymes in the cerebellum.…”