A 2015 Cochrane systematic review on the use of pentoxifylline for intermittent claudication in 2015 concluded: "The quality of included studies was generally low, and very large variability between studies was noted in reported findings including duration of trials, doses of pentoxifylline and distances participants could walk at the start of trials. Most included studies did not report on randomisation techniques or how treatment allocation was concealed, did not provide adequate information to permit judgement of selective reporting and did not report blinding of outcome assessors. Given all these factors, the role of pentoxifylline in intermittent claudication remains uncertain, although this medication was generally well tolerated by participants". Pentoxifylline has been tested for use in
sarcoidosis patients as an alternative or complement to
prednisone and other steroids, as the drug can inhibit excess levels of
TNF-a, which is associated with
granuloma formation. It has further been used to treat immunologic reactions to
leprosy with some success. Benefit in
alcoholic hepatitis was shown, with some studies demonstrating a reduction in risk of
hepatorenal syndrome. There is some evidence that pentoxifylline can lower the levels of some
biomarkers in non-alcoholic
steatohepatitis but evidence is insufficient to determine if the drug is safe and effective for this use. For
in vitro fertilization, Pentoxifylline has been used to improve
sperm quality and motility and as safe oral drug in the treatment of male
infertility with
erectile dysfunction. Animal studies have been conducted exploring the use of pentoxifylline for
erectile dysfunction. An off-label indication of pentoxifylline is the supportive treatment of distal
diabetic neuropathy, where it can be added, for example, to
thioctic acid or
gabapentin. Theoretically, it can (among other things) act prophylactically against ulcerative changes of the lower limbs associated with chronically decompensated diabetes. Patients with measurable impairment in arterial supply are more likely to benefit from adjunctive treatment with pentoxifylline. The administration of higher doses of pentoxifylline in hospitalization for complications of distal diabetic neuropathy is usually conditioned by the joint agreement of the neurologist with the physicians of internal medicine (diabetology and angiology). Pentoxifylline may be used transdermally for cellulite treatment. A 2025 systematic review found that pentoxifylline may effectively treat some forms of inner ear
vertigo and acute
tinnitus, though its impact on idiopathic
sudden sensorineural hearing loss remains inconsistent and often suggests ineffectiveness. Animal studies have been conducted exploring the use of pentoxifylline for
hearing loss. Pentoxifylline has been studied and adopted by some clinicians as an oral treatment for
Peyronie's disease. It's proposed to act through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant, antifibrotic (including reducing
TGF-β), and anti-inflammatory pathways, to interfere with the disease's pathogenesis and reduce symptoms such as penile curvature, pain, and plaque volume. While systematic reviews indicate a lack of consistent large-scale evidence for its efficacy, various clinical studies and case reports suggest that pentoxifylline, especially in combination with other therapies, may effectively reduce the progression of Peyronie's disease. The combination of
tocopherol and pentoxifylline has been evaluated for the treatment of medication-related
osteonecrosis of the jaw. Pentoxifylline, in combination with
tocopherol and
clodronate, has also been found to heal refractory
osteoradionecrosis of the jaw, and to be prophylactic against osteoradionecrosis. Meta-analyses have found that pentoxifylline may be an effective adjunctive treatment for certain cases of
major depressive disorder. Clinical studies demonstrated that adding pentoxifylline to standard
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy significantly improved depressive symptom scores on rating scales and increased patient response and remission rates compared to placebo. The drug was associated with improvement in certain forms of cognitive impairment, particularly in
vascular dementia. == See also ==