Difference between revisions of "Pentoxifylline"

Latest revision as of 08:43, 20 September 2010

Pentoxifylline is the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) of a drug sold by Aventis under the brand name Trental. Its chemical name is 1-(5-oxohexyl)-3, 7-dimethylxanthine. Pentoxifylline is a xanthine derivative. Other brand names include Pentox, Pentoxil, and Flexital.

This drug is passed into the breast milk. Animal studies have shown no evidence of teratogenicity at high doses.

Uses

It is used to treat intermittent claudication resulting from obstructed arteries in the limbs, and vascular dementia.^[1]

Pentoxifylline improves blood flow through peripheral blood vessels and therefore helps with blood circulation in the arms and legs (e.g. intermittent claudication), and the brain (hence its use in vascular dementia).

The drug is gaining acceptance for conservative treatment of Peyronie's disease and neuropathic injuries. It also helps prevent strokes and can be used in managing sickle cell disease.

Pentoxifylline has also been used to treat nausea and headaches in the mountains (altitude sickness), and has been shown to reduce mortality in acute alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, presumably through its ability to inhibit TNF-alpha. Pentoxifylline's anti-TNF properties indicates it for treatment of Alcoholic Liver Disease.

A study demonstrated the possible use of Pentoxifylline administered in conjunction with vitamin E for reducing the extent of fibrotic lesions induced by radiation therapy for breast cancer. ^[2]

IV or oral pretreatment with Pentoxifylline has been attempted for the treatment of Cytokine Release Syndrome but it does not prevent symptoms in most studies.

Mechanism

Like other methylated xanthine derivatives, pentoxifylline is both a

1. competitive nonselective phosphodiesterase inhibitor ^[3] which raises intracellular cAMP, activates PKA, inhibits TNF-alpha ^{[4] [5]} and leukotriene ^[6] synthesis, and reduces inflammation and innate immunity ^[6] and
2. nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist ^[7].

In addition, pentoxifylline increases red blood cell deformability, reduces blood viscosity and decreases the potential for platelet aggregation and thrombus formation.^[8]

Drug interaction

Co-administration of pentoxifylline and sodium thiopental causes death by acute pulmonary edema in rats.^[9]

Alternative brand names

• Pentoxil (Upsher Smith)
• Pentoxin (Ratiopharm)
• Artal (Leiras)
• Vasonit (Lannacher)

References

External links

• Trental information from Aventis
• Reprinted article on veterinary use

es:Pentoxifilina fr:Pentoxifylline it:Pentossifillina hu:Pentoxifillin pl:Pentoksyfilina pt:Pentoxifilina

1. ↑ (1996) European Pentoxifylline Multi-Infarct Dementia Study. Eur Neurol. 36(5):315-21. PMID 8864715
2. ↑ Delanian S, Porcher R, Rudant J, et al.: Kinetics of response to long-term treatment combining pentoxifylline and tocopherol in patients with superficial radiation-induced fibrosis. J Clin Oncol 23: 8570-8579, 2005
3. ↑ Essayan DM. (2001). "Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases". J Allergy Clin Immunol. 108 (5): 671–80. doi:10.1067/mai.2001.119555. PMID 11692087. 
4. ↑ Deree J, Martins JO, Melbostad H, Loomis WH, Coimbra R. (2008). "Insights into the regulation of TNF-alpha production in human mononuclear cells: the effects of non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibition". Clinics (Sao Paulo). 63 (3): 321–8. doi:10.1590/S1807-59322008000300006. PMC 2664230 Freely accessible. PMID 18568240. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Citation/CS1/Suggestions' not found.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Peters-Golden M, Canetti C, Mancuso P, Coffey MJ. (2005). "Leukotrienes: underappreciated mediators of innate immune responses". J Immunol. 174 (2): 589–94. PMID 15634873. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
7. ↑ Daly JW, Jacobson KA, Ukena D. (1987). "Adenosine receptors: development of selective agonists and antagonists". Prog Clin Biol Res. 230 (1): :41–63. PMID 3588607. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
8. ↑ Ward A and Clissold SP, 1987. "Pentoxifylline. A review of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and its therapeutic efficacy." Drugs, 34(1):50-97. PMID:3308412.
9. ↑ Pereda J, Gómez-Cambronero L, Alberola A, Fabregat G, Cerdá M, Escobar J, Sabater L, García-de-la-Asunción J, Viña J, Sastre J. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Br J Pharmacol. 2006 Oct;149(4):450-5. Epub 2006 Sep 4.PMID: 16953192.