title: A review of the potential protective effects of pentoxifylline against drug-induced nephrotoxicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Drug-induced nephrotoxicity is one of the most common side effects of medications and accounts for about 20 % of hospital admissions for acute kidney injury (AKI). Some possible pharmacologic mechanisms of pentoxifylline (PTX) that suggest it as a candidate to ameliorate AKI include interaction at the level of the adenosine receptors, increase in erythrocyte deformability, stimulation of vasodilatory prostaglandins production and prevention of vascular congestion, and suppression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and apoptosis. This manuscript reviews all clinical and animal studies on the use of PTX as a renoprotective agent against a number of nephrotoxic drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected by searching MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, and Cochrane database systematic reviews. Key words used as search terms were pentoxifylline, nephroprotective, renoprotective, drug-induced renal diseases, drug-induced nephrotoxicity, drug-induced renal toxicity, and drug-induced nephropathy. This search was performed without time limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most greatest number of studies and human clinical trials on the renoprotective effect of PTX against drug-induced nephrotoxicity involves cyclosporine (Cyc). It seems that despite encouraging results from animal studies, there is insufficient evidence to support the renoprotective effect of PTX against Cyc-induced nephrotoxicity in humans. Although some available animal studies show protective effects of PTX against renal toxicity of some antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents, designing clinical trials to approve these nephroprotective effects requires prior confirmation of no reducing antimicrobial or antitumor action of these medications by PTX.
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nasiri-Toosi
authors.forename: Simin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dashti-Khavidaki
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.forename: Mahboob
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lessan-Pezeshki
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003287:Contrast Media; D003603:Cytotoxins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D010431:Pentoxifylline