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1: J Psychopharmacol. 2004 Sep;18(3):404-11.Click here to read Links

Antidepressant-like effect of tramadol and its enantiomers in reserpinized mice: comparative study with desipramine, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine and opiates.

Rojas-Corrales MO, Berrocoso E, Gibert-Rahola J, Micó JA.

Pharmacology and Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.

Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic that demonstrates opioid and monoaminergic properties. Several studies have suggested that tramadol could play a role in mood improvement. Moreover, it has previously been shown that tramadol is effective in the forced swimming test in mice and the learned helplessness model in rats, two behavioural models predictive of antidepressant activity. The aim of the present study was to test tramadol and its enantiomers in the reserpine test in mice, a classical observational test widely used in the screening of antidepressant drugs. This test is a non-behavioural method where only objective parameters such as rectal temperature and palprebral ptosis are considered. Moreover, we compared the effects of tramadol and its enantiomers with those of antidepressants (desipramine, fluvoxamine and venlafaxine) and opiates [morphine (-)-methadone and levorphanol]. Racemic tramadol, (-)-tramadol, desipramine and venlafaxine reversed the reserpine syndrome (rectal temperature and ptosis), whereas(+)-tramadol and fluvoxamine only antagonized the reserpine-induced ptosis, without any effect on temperature. Opiates did not reverse reserpine-induced hypothermia. (-)-Methadone showed slight effects regarding reserpine-induced ptosis, morphine and levorphanol had no effect. These results show that tramadol has an effect comparable to clinically effective antidepressants in a test predictive of antidepressant activity, without behavioural implications. Together with other clinical and experimental data, this suggests that tramadol has an inherent antidepressant-like (mood improving) activity, and that this effect could have clinical repercussions on the affective component of pain.

PMID: 15358985 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Patient Drug Information

  • Reserpine (Serpalan® , Serpasil® )

    Reserpine is used to treat high blood pressure. It works by decreasing your heart rate and relaxing the blood vessels so that blood can flow more easily through the body. It also is used to treat severe agitation in pati...

  • Methadone (Dolophine® , Methadose® , Methadose® Oral Concentrate)

    Methadone is used to relieve moderate to severe pain that has not been relieved by non-narcotic pain relievers. It also is used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in patients who were addicted to opiate drugs and are enrolle...

  • Desipramine (Norpramin® )

    Desipramine is used to treat depression. Desipramine is in a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by increasing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain that are needed for mental...

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