A comparison of the effects of tramadol
and morphine on gastric emptying in man
by
Murphy DB, Sutton A, Prescott LF, Murphy MB
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
University College Cork,
Ireland.
Anaesthesia 1997 Dec; 52(12):1224-9

ABSTRACT

In a previous study using an electrical bioimpedance technique and the paracetamol absorption test, we demonstrated that 0.09 mg.kg-1 of morphine delayed gastric emptying in healthy human volunteers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether analgesic doses of tramadol would cause a delay in gastric emptying similar to conventional opioids. Using the same volunteers and techniques as in our previous study, placebo or tramadol (1 mg.kg-1) was given in a randomised, double-blinded, cross-over placebo-controlled study. Gastric emptying was measured concurrently by a noninvasive epigastric bioimpedance technique and by the paracetamol absorption test. After the ingestion of 500 ml of deionised water plus paracetamol 1.5 g, the mean (SEM) time taken for gastric volume to decrease to 50% (t0.5) was recorded. No difference in gastric emptying rates (t0.5) between placebo, 7.7 (1 min), and tramadol, 9.5 (2 min), was noted. In our previous study, morphine prolonged t0.5 to 21 (3) min (p < 0.03). The maximum concentration and area under the curve of serum paracetamol concentrations following morphine were significantly different from placebo (p < 0.05) and tramadol (p < 0.05). We conclude that tramadol at a dose of 1 mg.kg-1 does not delay gastric emptying in humans.

Tramadol
Allodynia
Tramadol: dosage
Immune response
Tramadol plus pindolol
Tramadol and analgesia
Tramadol and acute pain
Tramadol and osteoarthritis
Tramadol versus oxycodone
Discriminative stimulus effects
Tramadol as an antidepressant
Tramadol: risk/benefit analysis
Tramadol versus buprenorphine
Tramadol, morphine and the mouse
Sustained release tramadol capsules
Tramadol/sustained release preparation

Refs
and further reading

HOME
HedWeb
Nootropics
cocaine.wiki
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
MDMA/Ecstasy
Superhapiness?
Utopian Surgery?
The Abolitionist Project
The Hedonistic Imperative
The Reproductive Revolution
Critique of Huxley's Brave New World

The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family