The effect of pentoxifylline on the growth of endometrial implants and leukocytes in rats.

Background: immune system disturbances have an important role in endometriosiswhich may lead to infertility. it seems that inflammatory cytokines specially tumornecrosis factor alpha (tnf-a) which were produced by activated macrophages have animportant role in pathology of endometriosis. based on this theory, anti tnf-a drugslike pentoxifylline (px) are suggested as new drugs for endometriosis.objective: this experimental study has been done on female rats to determine theeffect of px on the endometrial implants and leukocytes in serum.material and methods: in proestrous phase, one hom of rat's bicom uterus wasremoved surgically and the endometrium was implanted to different places as follows:subcutaneous, peritoneum and near ovaries. after two months observation, female ratsdivided into two groups randomly. in treated group (n=lo) px (5mglkg twice a day)and in control group (n=10), normal saline (same dose) were injected subcutaneously.then, via second laparotomy and in the same phase of the cycles, the size of implantsand the amount of leukocytes in serum were measured.results: in treated group compared with control, the size of implants was decreasedsignificantly in right subcutaneous (8.05mm vs 13.5omm) p