Abstract: Objective Pentoxifylline(PTX) has been shown to suppress the cytokine production. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PTX on the production of proinflammatory cytokines, and correlation between the inflammation and obstructive emphysema in rat models. Methods Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. ① Normal group(n=12), rats were bred in canonical environment. ② Obstructive emphysema model groupⅠ(n=12), 3 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide was injected intravenously once every two weeks and the rats were exposed to 5% of cigarette smoke,0.5 h/each time, twice daily for 45 days. ③ Model group Ⅱ(n=12), they were the same as those of obstructive emphysema model groupⅠ, but 15 mg/kg pentoxifylline was injected intraperitoneally once daily at the 1 to 30 days. Results The pathologic change of airway and lung tissues of obstructive emphysema models were similar to those of COPD patients. Pulmonary function of the obstructive emphysema model group(FEV0.2/FVC%) were significantly worse than those of normal group and the model groupⅡ(P<0.01). The level of IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α was significantly different from those of the obstructive emphysema model group Ⅰ and model group Ⅱ(P<0.01). Conclusion Experimental obstructive emphysema rat models were successfully established by passive cigarette smoking and injection of lipopolysaccharide. The treatment with PTX could make the pathologic change of airway and lung tissues milder than those of obstructive emphysema model group, and inhibit the production of these proinflammatory cytokines, PTX may reduce damage to the lung in obstructive emphysema.

Key words: experimental rats, obstructive emphysema, pentoxifylline