[Effects of pentoxifylline on leukocyte in the lungs of dog with fat tissue extract-induced respiratory distress syndrome].

We studied the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on the polymorphonuclears (PMN) and alveolar macrophages (AM) in the lung of dog with fat tissue extract induced respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Results showed that PTX decreased PMN accumulation and infiltration in the lung; the total leukocytes in BALF dropped from 2.92 x 10(8) in the experimental group to 1.21 x 10(8) in the PTX-treated group (P < 0.001); the percentage of PMN also reduced from 35.4% to 14.3% (P < 0.01); the production of IL-1 and TNF by AM in the PTX-treated group was markedly inhibited as compared with the experimental group (P < 0.001, P < 0.05). We conclude that PTX has an inhibitory effect on PMN and AM in the lung of dog with RDS, and PTX may have potential therapeutic effect on ARDS.