The new analgesic drug 1-(m-methoxyphenyl)-2-(dimethylaminomethyl)-cyclohexan-1-ol (tramadol; Tramal) was administered to a total of 840 patients by i.m. or i.v. injection or in suppository form in an open multi-center trial. The drug was found to be an effective and well-tolerated analgesic. 2. In all three forms of administration more than 80% of the patients treated rated the therapeutic efficacy of tramadol good to very good. In most cases the analgesic effect set in within 30 min and lasted 3--7 h. Tramadol was effective in relieving pain of various origins. 3. Serious side effects were not observed. The most frequent side effect was drowsiness. Transient hot flushes and outbreaks of sweating occurred occasionally following i.v. injection.
