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Treatment of experimental frostbite with pentoxifylline and aloe vera cream
1Division of Otolaryngology, Albany (NY) Medical College, USA.
Objective:
To compare the therapeutic effects of systemic pentoxifylline and topical aloe vera cream in the treatment of frostbite.
Design:
The frostbitten ears of 10 New Zealand white rabbits were assigned to one of four treatment groups: untreated controls, those treated with aloe vera cream, those treated with pentoxifylline, and those treated with aloe vera cream and pentoxifylline.
Main Outcome Measures:
Tissue survival was calculated as the percent of total frostbite area that remained after 2 weeks.
Results:
The control group had a 6% tissue survival. Tissue survival was notably improved with pentoxifylline (20%), better with aloe vera cream (24%), and the best with the combination therapy (30%).
Conclusion:
Pentoxifylline is as effective as aloe vera cream in improving tissue survival after frostbite injury.