Effect of pentoxifylline and indomethacin on rabbits with endotoxin induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and comparison with heparin.

We evaluated the effects of pentoxifylline and indomethacin and heparin in a rabbit model of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) induced by infusion of 100 μg/kg/hour of Escherichia coli endotoxin lipoplysaccharide (LPS) for 6 hour. Heparin, indomethacin, pentoxifylline or saline were administered simultaneously with LPS. In addition, a control group was formed which was administered only saline. Hemostatic markers at 0, 1/2, 2, and 6 hour as well as histopathologic changes in the organs and the mortality at 24 hour were determined. The infusion of LPS caused a severe impairment in hemostasis and fibrin accumulation in the pulmonary vasculature. Heparin significantly improved hemostatic impairment and reduced the fibrin accumulation in the pulmonary vasculature. Pentoxifylline and indomethacin had no significant effect on DIC, except that pentoxifylline prevented the decrement in platelet count slightly (p< 0.05). None of the drugs, including heparin, had any effect on mortality. As a result, the prevention of the synthesis of only one cytokine or autocoid is not considered enough to control the results of endotoxemia.