In vivo assessment of inflammatory cytokines induced oxidative stress signalling, and troponin I gene dysregulation in cardiac tissue associated with chronic administration of boldenone and tramadol, alone or in combination

Abstract

Introduction

The risk of cardiotoxicity is associated with the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids and analgesics, several deaths were attributed to such medications.

Objectives

This study investigates the effects of boldenone (BOLD) and tramadol (TRAM) alone or in combination on the heart.

Material and methods

Forty adult male rats were divided into four groups. Normal control group, BOLD (5 mg/kg, i.m.) per week, tramadol Hcl (TRAM) (20 mg/kg, i.p.) daily and a combination of BOLD (5 mg/kg) and TRAM (20 mg/kg), respectively for two months. Serum and cardiac tissue were extracted for determination of serum, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and lipid profiles, tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and histopathological examination. Troponin I gene expression was quantified in cardiac tissue using real-time polymerase chain reaction technique.

Results

Groups received BOLD and TRAM alone and in combination showed elevated serum biochemical parameters (AST, CPK) and deviations in lipid profiles, elevation in oxidative and inflammatory parameters (MDA, NO, TNF-α and IL-6), and decrease in GSH and SOD, up-regulated cardiac troponin I as well as distorted cardiac histopathological pictures.

Conclusion

The current study elucidated the risk of administration of these drugs for sustained periods as well as the marked detrimental effects of using these drugs in combination.

Keywords:

• Boldenone
• tramadol
• cardiotoxicity
• troponin I
• rats

Author contributions

Marwa E. A. El-Shamarka and Noha A. Mowaad have designed the study and collected the data of the work. Gihan F. Asaad has drafted the article, analyzed and interpreted the data. Marwa E. A. El-Shamarka, Gihan F. Asaad, Noha A. Mowaad, and Magy R. Kozman have revised the article. Gihan F. Asaad and Magy R. Kozman have finally approved the version to be published.

Disclosure statement

All authors involved in the production of this research declared that they have no conflict of interest.

Data availability

Authors declare that all the data are original and they are available upon request

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.