Repurposing Pentoxifylline for the Treatment of Fibrosis: An Overview
Wen, Wei Xiong Lee, Siang Yin Siang, Rafaella Koh, Rhun Yian
Wen, Wei Xiong
Lee, Siang Yin
Siang, Rafaella
Koh, Rhun Yian
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Affiliation
International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; RRIM Sungai Buloh Research Station, Malaysian Rubber Board, Selangor, Malaysia; George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
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Publication date
2017-06
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Abstract
Fibrosis is a potentially debilitating disease with high morbidity rates. It is estimated that half of all deaths that occur in the USA are attributed to fibrotic disorders. Fibrotic disorders are characterized primarily by disruption in the extracellular matrix deposition and breakdown equilibrium, leading to the accumulation of excessive amounts of extracellular matrix. Given the potentially high prevalence of fibrosis and the paucity of agents currently available for the treatment of this disease, there is an urgent need for the identification of drugs that can be utilized to treat the disease. Pentoxifylline is a methylxanthine derivative that is currently approved for the treatment of vascular diseases, in particular, claudication. Pentoxifylline has three main properties: improving the rheological properties of blood, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative. Recently, the effectiveness of pentoxifylline in the treatment of fibrosis via attenuating and reversing fibrotic lesions has been demonstrated in several clinical trials and animal studies. As a result of the limited availability of antifibrotic agents in the long-term treatment of fibrosis that can attenuate and even reverse fibrotic lesions effectively, it would be of particular importance to consider the potential clinical utility of pentoxifylline in the treatment of fibrosis. Thus, this paper discusses the evolving roles of pentoxifylline in the treatment of different types of fibrosis.
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Wen WX, Lee SY, Siang R, Koh RY. Repurposing Pentoxifylline for the Treatment of Fibrosis: An Overview. Adv Ther. 2017 Jun;34(6):1245-1269. doi: 10.1007/s12325-017-0547-2. Epub 2017 May 8.
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Article