Background: An artificial centrally acting analgesic drug called tramadol hydrochloride is used to treat moderate to severe pain with fewer side effects than conventional opioid medicines. Objective: This study aimed to investigate effects of tramadol on rat cerebral cortex, focusing on biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical alterations, and possible protective effect of ginger.
Materials and methods: Fifty-five albino rats were employed. They were split into four groups: Control group (15 rats) that was further split into three equal subgroups: One received saline, one received ginger oil (200 mg/kg B.W/day), and one was kept without any medicine. Tramadol group (15 rats) received tramadol (50 mg/kg B.W/day). 3rd group received ginger oil 30 minutes before tramadol intake. In order to examine effects of stopping tramadol, 15 rats in 4th group were given tramadol for 4 weeks before being released from therapy for a further 4 weeks. Samples and specimens were prepared for biochemical and microscopic examination.