Pulmonary aspiration during induction of general anaesthesia is an important cause of anaesthetic mortality and morbidity. Many agents have been tried to reduce this risk. Aim: To assess and compare the antacid and analgesic efficacy of a single dose of intramuscular tramadol. Method: The study was carried out in 50 patients of either gender, age between 18 to 60 years, belonging to ASA I & ASA II status under going surgical procedures. All patients were randomly allocated to receive either tramadol 100mg or Ranitidine 50mg intramuscularly one hour before induction of anaesthesia. Results: Tramadol is equally effective in reducing gastric acid pH compared to ranitidine (3.41±2.34 Vs 3.50±2.54). Even though tramadol decreased gastric volume, the reduction in mean gastric volume was not as much as ranitidine (13.96±11.55ml Vs 11.24±9.49). Conclusion: Tramadol can be safely used as a premedicant in patients undergoing for general surgeries.