Influence of pentifylline on brain metabolism of normal and anoxic rats

1-Hexyl-3,7-dimethyl-xanthine (pentifylline) increases significantly (1 h after oral administration of 25 mg/kg) the adenosine triphosphate and the total adenine nucleotide pool in the brain of normal rats and rats subjected to nitrogen breathing for 30 s. An increase in glycogen and in pyridine nucelotides (NAD+ + NADH2) were also noted. The results indicate that pentifylline shows a tendency toward normalizing or "economizing" the brain metabolism.