Nephroprotective effects of pentoxifylline in experimental myoglobinuric acute renal failure

Abstract The nephroprotective effects of pentoxifylline, a methylxantine, were studied in glycerol-induced acute renal failure. Glycerol treated rats exhibited collecting duct and medullary ascending limb dilation and casts, with focal tubular damage, confined mainly to the superficial cortex. In the interstitium focal mononuclear infiltration was observed. In some glomeruli there was swelling of mesangial spaces and mesangial cells. Pentoxifylline injected to glycerol pretreated rats exerted a protective effect. Only few groups of proximal tubules in the subcapsulary region of renal cortex showed necrosis and tubulorhexis. There were not leukocyte infiltrations or vascular congestion. Morphometric analysis showed increased surface area fraction of tubular lumen in rats treated with glycerol ( p