Biomaterial Database

The effects of pentoxifylline on spinal cord blood flow after experimental spinal cord injury. 1999

M K Thompson, and R F Tuma, and W F Young

Department of Neurosurgery, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.

Previous clinical and experimental investigations have suggested that pentoxifylline, a methylxanthine, can improve cerebrovascular circulation and reduce cerebral edema in cerebrovascular disorders. Pentoxifylline's mechanism of action includes such rheologic effects as enhanced red cell deformability, alterations in leukocyte activation, and modification of coagulation parameters. The purpose of our investigation was to determine the effects of pentoxifylline in an experimental spinal cord injury model. A compression device was used to cause a reproducible spinal cord injury in adult female albino rats. Spinal cord blood flow was monitored using a laser Doppler flow meter pre- and postinjury for 4 hours. The experimental group (N = 7) was injected with pentoxifylline 10 minutes prior to injury. The control group (N = 5) received an identical protocol, except that this group was injected with an equal amount of saline. Results of this investigation revealed that pentoxifylline treatment significantly increased spinal cord blood flow. In the pentoxifylline-treated group, spinal cord blood flow was significantly higher from 120 to 240 minutes postinjury compared with that of the control group. We conclude that via its multiple physiologic effects, pentoxifylline significantly improves spinal cord blood flow in experimental spinal cord injury.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010431	Pentoxifylline	A METHYLXANTHINE derivative that inhibits phosphodiesterase and affects blood rheology. It improves blood flow by increasing erythrocyte and leukocyte flexibility. It also inhibits platelet aggregation. Pentoxifylline modulates immunologic activity by stimulating cytokine production.	Agapurin,BL-191,Oxpentifylline,Pentoxil,Torental,Trental,BL 191,BL191
D012039	Regional Blood Flow	The flow of BLOOD through or around an organ or region of the body.	Blood Flow, Regional,Blood Flows, Regional,Flow, Regional Blood,Flows, Regional Blood,Regional Blood Flows
D005260	Female		Females
D006401	Hematologic Agents	Drugs that act on blood and blood-forming organs and those that affect the hemostatic system.	Hematological Agents,Agents, Hematologic,Agents, Hematological
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013116	Spinal Cord	A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER.	Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords
D013119	Spinal Cord Injuries	Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.).	Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy
D014655	Vascular Resistance	The force that opposes the flow of BLOOD through a vascular bed. It is equal to the difference in BLOOD PRESSURE across the vascular bed divided by the CARDIAC OUTPUT.	Peripheral Resistance,Total Peripheral Resistance,Pulmonary Vascular Resistance,Systemic Vascular Resistance,Peripheral Resistance, Total,Resistance, Peripheral,Resistance, Pulmonary Vascular,Resistance, Systemic Vascular,Resistance, Total Peripheral,Resistance, Vascular,Vascular Resistance, Pulmonary,Vascular Resistance, Systemic
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus