Histopathological Effects of Tramadol Treatments on the Testes of Male Albino Rats

Tramadol is effective in the treatment of moderate to severe pains. However, abuse of the drug can have negative impact on other organs and physiological processes. Hence, this study was aimed at determining the histopathological effect of tramadol treatments on the testes of male albino rats. Eighteen male rats were divided into three groups: control, T1 and T2 using completely randomized design (CRD) with six rats in each group. Rats in group A were the control group and were given just food and water and groups T1 and T2 were given tramadol treatments at 50 and 100 mg/kgBW respectively, daily. The treatments were administered via oral gavage daily for 65 days and at the end of the treatment the rats were sacrificed using chloroform anaesthesia. There was no significant difference in the weight of testes. Sperm count and weight of epididymes significantly reduced (p<0.05) in tramadol treated animals when compared with the control. Histological examination reveal that tramadol treated rats had lumen with fewer spermatids with slight necrosis, atrophy and inflammation in T1 treated rats while severe inflammation and haemorrhage around the Leydig cells were observed in T2 treated animals indicating a dose dependent testicular toxicity and degeneration when compared with the control group. The results obtained from this study indicate that tramadol treatments has deleterious effects on weight epididymes (from 0.425 g in the control group to 343 g for T1 and T2 animals, respectively), sperm count, and testicular integrity in male albino rat as mammalian models in a dose dependent manner.