On the influence of pentoxifylline on the permeability of rat erythrocytes for methyl-O-glucose.

In a series of experiments it was established that in the presence of pentoxifylline (Trental), methyl-O-glucose permeates rat erythrocyte membrane significantly more than in untreated control experiments. Pentoxifylline itself, apparently does not permeate erythrocyte membrane. It is possible that some of the therapeutic effects of pentoxifylline can be related to the facilitation of red blood cell membrane permeability for glucose.