Dose-response Relationship of the Anti-inflammatory Activity of Pentoxifylline in Experimental Models of Chronic Inflammation

Alsaad RZ, Hussain SA, Numan IT.Dose-response Relationship of the Anti-inflammatory Activity of Pentoxifylline in Experimental Models of Chronic Inflammation. Pharmacologia. 2012;3(2):39-45.

Abstract

Background: The side effects of anti-inflammatory agents are considered a major problem during their clinical use; therefore, the development of newer, more effective and safer anti-inflammatory drugs is necessary. The present study was designed to evaluate the dose-response relationship of the anti-inflammatory activity of pentoxifylline in experimental animal models of chronic inflammation. Methods: Seventy two rats were allocated into nine groups, each containing 8 rats, for the study of the anti-inflammatory activity of pentoxifylline in an experimental animal model of formalin-induced chronic inflammation; another 16 rats were used and allocated into two groups for the study of the anti-inflammatory activity of pentoxifylline (4.0 mg kg^-1) when used in combination with dexamethasone or methotrexate. Fifty-four rats were allocated into nine groups, each containing 6 rats, for the study of the anti-inflammatory activity of pentoxifylline in an experimental animal model of cotton-pellet induced granuloma; another 12 rats were used and allocated into two groups for the study of the anti-inflammatory activity of pentoxifylline (4.0 mg kg^-1) when used in combination with dexamethasone or methotrexate. Results: Pentoxifylline significantly suppresses inflammation in experimental animal models of formalin-induced chronic inflammation and cotton-pellet-induced granuloma. Pentoxifylline (4.0 mg kg^-1) in combination with dexamethasone significantly suppresses inflammation in a rat model of formalin-induced chronic inflammation and cotton pellet-induced granuloma, which is significantly higher than all of the effects produced by other approaches to treatments. Conclusion: Pentoxifylline, in a dose dependent pattern, attenuates formaldehyde-induced chronic inflammation and cotton-pellet induced granuloma in rats and potentiates the anti-inflammatory activity of dexamethasone and methotrexate.