Tramadol (marketed as Ultram, and as generics) is an opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. When taken as an immediate-release oral formulation, the onset of pain relief usually occurs within about an hour.It has two different mechanisms. First, it binds to the μ-opioid receptor.ramadol is metabolised to O-desmethyltramadol, which is a more potent opioid. It is of the benzenoid class. Tramadol was launched and marketed as Tramal by the German pharmaceutical company Gruenenthal GmbH gmbh in 1977 In West, germany and 20 years later it was launched in countries such as THE, Uk.U., s And. australia