Histopathologic changes in liver induced by morphine and tramadol

Abstract

Abstract Objective: Opioids are widely used for acute pain relief. We studied the postoperative effects of morphine and tramadol on the histopathology of liver in rabbits which had undergone isoflurane anesthesia. Methods: The study was carried out at the animal laboratories of the Medical Faculty, Ataturk University. The rabbits were divided into three treatment groups as control group (C), morphine group (M) and tramadol group (T) each composed of 10 rabbits. 3 ml 0.9% NaCl in the control group, 1 mg kg−1 in the morphine group, and 10 mg kg−1 in the tramadol group were administered twice a day for three days. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were sacrificed, and liver tissue samples were prepared for histopathologic assessment. Results: Hepatocyte degeneration, central vein dilatation, and mononuclear cell infiltration in the M group were more severe than those of the C group (p < 0.001). Hepatocyte degeneration, sinusoidal dilatation, central vein dilatation in the T group were more s...