Evaluation of Tramadol Hydrochloride Toxicity to Juvenile Zebrafish—Morphological, Antioxidant and Histological Responses

Abstract

The presence of pharmaceuticals in water bodies is associated with the increasing consumption of these substances and limited elimination from wastewater. Pharmaceutical residues and their metabolites may have an unfavorable impact on fish and other aquatic biota. As the purification of wastewater from tramadol is very limited and the knowledge on its effects on non-target organisms is low, we decided to assess the subchronic impact of tramadol hydrochloride on fish—on the mortality, growth and histopathology, together with the impact on selected indices of oxidative stress. The juvenile growth toxicity test was carried out on zebrafish (Danio rerio), in accordance with the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation Guidelines 215 (Fish, Juvenile Growth Test). The fish were exposed to a range of tramadol hydrochloride concentrations (0.2, 2, 20, 200 and 600 µg/L) for 28 days. The outcome of this study suggests that chosen concentrations of tramadol hydrochloride did not affect either mortality or growth (regarding weight, length and specific growth rate). However, the results of this study indicate that 28-day exposure can negatively influence selected indices of oxidative stress, which is a harmful imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in an organism. A significant increase was observed in glutathione S-transferase activity in the experimental group exposed to 2 µg/L tramadol hydrochloride, compared to the control. Moreover, lipid peroxidation was observed in groups exposed to 20 and 200 µg/L, in comparison to the control.

Zebrafish as a Screening Model to Study the Single and Joint Effects of Antibiotics

“…In addition, because the embryos and early adults are optically transparent, a direct observation of internal organs and morphological characteristics by light or fluorescence microscopy is possible [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Furthermore, the facilities required to house zebrafish for scientific purposes are relatively simple and cheaper, and the experiments are performed across different developmental stages (e.g., embryo, larva or adult) and in a wide variety of laboratory conditions (e.g., large number of compounds from diverse classes in parallel, acute and chronic testing and a wide range of concentrations of the chemicals tested) [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Generally, the zebrafish acute and chronic toxicity tests are performed according to the guideline 203 of OECD (updated 2019) and guideline 230 of OECD (2009) [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ], while guideline 236 of OECD (2013) is used to determine the acute toxicity of chemicals on embryonic stages [ 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

Carica papaya and Mangifera indica modulate haematological, biochemical and histological alterations in atrazine-intoxicated fish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)

“…Histology of tissues is a well-accepted indicator of xenobiotics exposure and it is considered a useful tool in the assessment of the degree of pollution, especially for sublethal and chronic effects (Plhalova et al, 2020;Vajargah et al, 2019). The observed gill and liver abnormalities is indicative of the negative effects of atrazine.…”

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Extract Enhances Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Growth Performance, Serum and Mucus Innate Immune Responses and Resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila Challenge

“…Nevertheless, small amounts of water will be used, and the zebrafish is not for human consumption. In addition, numerous experiments have been conducted on zebrafish ( Danio rerio ), as an animal model, employing various natural compounds with the aim of reducing antibiotic use and subsequently the risk of developing antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”