Pentoxifylline for Peyronie’s disease is a medication usually prescribed to improve blood flow in individuals who have circulation problems and associated symptoms such as cramping, aching, and tiredness in the hands and feet. It works by reducing the thickness of the blood, which allows blood to flow more easily. For treatment of Peyronie’s disease, it is reported to be similar to L-arginine and may prevent scarring.
Studies of Pentoxifylline for Peyronie’s Disease
Pentoxifylline for Peyronie’s disease has been studied by several research teams. A University of California, San Francisco group treated 71 men with Peyronie’s disease and sonographic evidence of calcification with either pentoxifylline (62 men), vitamin E, or no treatment (9 men) for one year. The calcifications improved or stabilized in 57 (91.9%) of the men who took pentoxifylline compared with 4 (44.4%) of those in the vitamin E or no treatment group. (Smith 2011)
In an earlier study, an team explored the use of sustained release pentoxifylline in 228 men with early chronic Peyronie’s disease. The men were randomly assigned to take either 400 mg of pentoxifylline for Peyronie’s disease twice daily or placebo for six months. At the end of six months, 36.9% of the men in the pentoxifylline group reported improvement compared with only 4.5% in the placebo group. Specifically, men in the pentoxifylline group had a significantly greater improvement in penile curvature and plaque volume than patients in the placebo group. The disease had progressed in 11% of men who took pentoxifylline compared with 42% in the placebo group. (Safarinejad 2010)
Dose and Side Effects of Pentoxifylline for Peyronie’s Disease
The typical dose of pentoxifylline is 400 grams taken three times per day. Common side effects include dizziness, headache, gas, vomiting, and upset stomach.
References
Safarinejad MR et al. A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of pentoxifylline in early chronic Peyronie’s disease. BJU Int 2010 Jul; 106(2): 240-48
Smith JF et al. Pentoxifylline treatment and penile calcifications in men with Peyronie’s disease. Asian J Androl 2011 Mar; 13(2): 322-25