In the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), tramadol, a common weak opioid, has become popular due to its effectiveness in inhibition of pain. In the present study, we aimed to explore the effect of tramadol on subchondral bone, especially changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties.
A mouse model of OA was established in the present study by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM). A vehicle or drug was administered for 4 weeks. Specimens were harvested and analyzed radiologically and histologically using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and histological staining to evaluate the knee joints of mice undergoing different forms of intervention.
In the early stages of OA induced by DMM, the subchondral bone volume fraction in the OA group was significantly higher than in the sham+vehicle (sham+veh) group, while the volume in the treatment groups was lower than in the DMM+vehicle (DMM+veh) and sham+veh groups. In addition, the elastic moduli in the treatment groups clearly decreased compared with the DMM+veh and sham+veh groups. Observations of the subchondral bone surface by SEM indicated serious destruction, principally manifesting as a decrease in lacunae and more numerous and scattered cracks. Histological staining demonstrated that there was no difference in the degeneration of either the articular cartilage or synovial cells whether tramadol was used or not.
Although tramadol is effective in inhibiting pain in early OA, it negatively regulates the microstructure and mechanical properties of subchondral bone in joints.