The effect of pentoxifylline on the energy metabolism of ischemic gerbil brain.

Pentoxifylline decreases the cerebral edema resulting from cortical freezing lesions in cats, produces mitochondrial hypertrophy with preservation of structure in gerbils, and increases survival rate in gerbils rendered ischemic by temporary bilateral carotid occlusion. Since all these findings may be related to energy metabolism, the effect of the drug on postischemic cerebral phosphocreatine and ATP concentrations and on cytochrome oxidase activity has been studied. Brain slices prepared from animals subjected to bilateral carotid occlusion for 30 min and treated with pentoxifylline at release of occlusion, then allowed 3 h for recovery, exhibited higher concentrations of ATP and higher levels of cytochrome oxidase activity than did those of the untreated animals.