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.