PENTOXIFYLLINE ATTENUATES PLATELET-ACTIVATING FACTOR-INDUCED PERMEABLE EDEMA IN ISOLATED-PERFUSED GUINEA-PIG LUNGS

The effect of pentoxifylline (Pen) on platelet activating factor(PAF)- induced pulmonary injury was studied in isolated guinea pig lungs perf used with cell-free Tris buffered Ringer solution. PAF (1.0 nmol . L-1 ) increased lung weight and pulmonary filtration coefficient (K(f)), w hich indicated the formation of high permeable pulmonary edema. Pen (0 .5 and 1.0 mmol . L-1) markedly attenuated the PAF-induced increment o f lung weight and vascular permeability, but not the increment of pulm onary capillary pressure and venous resistance. There was no correlati on between the severity of lung edema and the number of leukocytes in the perfusates. These results suggest that Pen has direct anti-permeab ility effect on pulmonary microvessels.