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Pentoxifylline



Pentoxifylline
Systematic (IUPAC) name
3,7-Dihydro-3,7-dimethyl-1-(5-oxohexyl)-1H-purine-2,6-dione
Identifiers
CAS number 6493-05-6
ATC code C04AD03
PubChem  ?
Chemical data
Formula C13H18N4O3 
Mol. mass 278.31
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability Near 100% for oral dosing
Metabolism Hepatic and via erythrocytes
Half life 0.4 - 0.8 hours (1 - 1.6 hours for active metabolite)
Excretion Mainly urine (<4% feces)
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.

C(US)

Legal status
Routes Oral

Pentoxifylline is the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) of a drug sold by Aventis under the name Trental. Its chemical name is 1-(5-oxohexyl)-3, 7-dimethylxanthine. Pentoxifylline is a xanthine derivative.

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

Contents

Uses

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

Pentoxifylline improves blood flow through blood vessels and therefore helps with blood circulation in the arms and legs (e.g. intermittent claudication).

It also helps prevent strokes, can be used in managing sickle cell disease and improves blood flow to the brain.

Pentoxifylline has also been used to treat nausea and headaches in the mountains (altitude sickness).

Mechanism

Pentoxifylline is a PDE4 inhibitor increasing intracellular cAMP and stimulating PKA activity.

It is also a known inhibitor of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Drug interaction

Co-administration of pentoxifylline and sodium thiopental causes death by acute pulmonary oedema in rats.[2]


Alternate brand names

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

References

  1. ^ (1996) European Pentoxifylline Multi-Infarct Dementia Study. Eur Neurol. 36(5):315-21. PMID 8864715
  2. ^ 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.


 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pentoxifylline". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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