A comparative study about the immunomodulatory effects of tramadol and metamizole in a murine model of postoperative ileus

Evaluation of the effect of tramadol, paracetamol and metamizole on the severity of experimental colitis

Application of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is often used to induce experimental colitis. Current state of the art is to refrain from the use of analgesics due to their possible interaction with the model. However, the use of analgesics would be beneficial to reduce the overall constraint imposed on the animals. Here, we analyzed the effect of the analgesics Dafalgan (paracetamol), Tramal (tramadol) and Novalgin (metamizole) on DSS-induced colitis. To study the effect of those analgesics in colitis mouse models, acute and chronic colitis was induced in female C57BL6 mice by DSS administration in the drinking water. Analgesics were added to the drinking water on days four to seven (acute colitis) or on days six to nine of each DSS cycle (chronic colitis). Tramadol and paracetamol had minor effects on colitis severity. Tramadol reduced water uptake and activity levels slightly, while mice receiving paracetamol presented with a better overall appearance. Metamizole, however, significantly reduced water uptake, resulting in pronounced weight loss. In conclusion, our experiments show that tramadol and paracetamol are viable options for the use in DSS-induced colitis models. However, paracetamol seems to be slightly more favorable since it promoted the overall wellbeing of the animals upon DSS administration without interfering with typical readouts of colitis severity.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Da-Cheng-Qi-Tang Ameliorates Impaired Gastrointestinal Motility and Intestinal Inflammatory Response in a Mouse Model of Postoperative Ileus

This study was to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine with the formula Da-Cheng-Qi-Tang (T-DCQT) and a modified Da-Cheng-Qi-Tang (M-DCQT) in a postoperative ileus (POI) mouse model. POI was induced via small bowel manipulation, and T-DCQT or M-DCQT was given by enema. The intestinal motility was measured with a charcoal mixture gavage. The intestinal tissues were collected for further studies by histopathological, qPCR, immunohistochemical staining, and Western blotting. Levels of inflammatory cytokines in blood were determined using a high-throughput liquid chip. We found that gastrointestinal dysfunction was alleviated after administration of either a T-DCQT or M-DCQT enema. Increased expression of NF-κB, p38 MAPK, and TLR4 in the intestinal tissues of POI mice were reversed following treatment. IL-1α, IL-6, MIP-1β, and IL-17 levels were significantly reduced at 24 h and 48 h following treatment, while the MCP-1 level was only observed to be reduced at 24 h after the treatment. Furthermore, compared with the T-DCQT effect, M-DCQT treatment was more effective in alleviating the increased IL-6, MIP-1β, and IL-1α levels. So, we draw a conclusion that T-DCQT or M-DCOT could ameliorate the POI-associated inflammatory response and improve GI motility in a POI mouse model.