title: The effects of pentoxifylline on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) fever, plasma interleukin 6 (IL 6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the rat.
abstract: The purpose of these studies was to test whether pentoxifylline, a drug that can inhibit the production and action of cytokines hypothesized to be endogenous pyrogens (for example, interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]), is antipyretic. We also tested the effects of pentoxifylline on plasma activities of interleukin 6 (IL 6) and TNF in response to an injection of a fever-inducing dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Our results showed that a high dose of pentoxifylline (200 mg/kg) caused hypothermia in control rats and blocked LPS fever, while a low dose (50 mg/kg) did not have these effects. Injection of the high dose of pentoxifylline in control rats caused a rise in plasma IL 6 but not in plasma TNF. However, the peak levels of plasma IL 6 and TNF activities following an injection of LPS were significantly reduced by pretreatment with pentoxifylline. Overall, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that pentoxifylline is an antipyretic drug, which may act at least in part by inhibiting the secretion of pyrogenic cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: LeMay
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vander
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kluger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010431:Pentoxifylline