title: Effect of chronic oral pentoxifylline administration on murine erythrocyte deformability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pentoxifylline has been reported to increase radiation sensitivity in vivo. We sought to evaluate whether this effect is mediated by changes in murine erythrocyte flexibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pentoxifylline was administered via liquid or solid diet to young adult male CF-1 mice for 1-6 weeks. After 1, 3, and 6 weeks of drug administration, plasma levels of pentoxifylline and major derivatives were measured and erythrocyte deformability was assessed by rheoscopy, a technique which permits direct measurement of individual cellular dimensions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Contrary to prior reports, we found no discernible effect of the drug on erythrocyte deformability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The beneficial effect of pentoxifylline administration on radiation sensitivity in tumor-bearing mice is mediated by other mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110-0250, USA.
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tolman
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mawad
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Hueneberg
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sutera
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000097:blood*; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010431:Pentoxifylline