Pentoxifylline in the treatment of experimental peritonitis in rats
G. E. Chalkiadakis, A. Kostakis, P. E. Karayannacos, M. E. Chalkiadakis, S. Sgouromali, H. Giamarellou and G. D. Skalkeas
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of pentoxifylline
on the clinical and pathologic course of experimentally induced peritonitis
in rats. This drug is a methyxanthine derivative that has vasodilating
properties and may decrease platelet aggregation. Peritonitis was induced
in 40 Wistar rats by creating a closed ileal loop 4 cm long 5 cm from the
ileocecal valve. The animals were divided into two groups of 20 animals
each. The first group served as controls, while each animal of the second
group received 17 mg/kg/day of pentoxifylline intramuscularly from the day
of operation until 30 days postoperatively. The survival rate was
significantly increased in the group receiving pentoxifylline and adhesion
or abscess formation was considerably reduced. We concluded that the
administration of pentoxifylline prolongs significantly the survival of
animals with experimental peritonitis and reduces the development of
adhesions and abscesses in the peritoneal cavity. This beneficial effect
may be attributed to decreased fibrinogen deposits and increased
fibrinolytic activity within the peritoneal cavity, thus rendering the
bacteria more susceptible to cellular and noncellular clearing mechanisms.
