Aims: To investigate whether the application of vitamin E with or without pentoxifylline could modify the development of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
Materials and methods: Wistar albino rats were supplemented with either vitamin E or pentoxifylline or with both vitamin E and pentoxifylline after a single dose of 14 Gy thoracic irradiation. Supplementation was started the day after irradiation and continued until the rats were sacrificed. As a quantitative end point, the extent of fibrosis was evaluated with a scale from 0 (normal lung) to 8 (total fibrous obliteration of the field) at pathological examination of the lung tissue.
Results: A significant reduction in fibrosis was obtained in the group of rats supplemented with vitamin E with or without pentoxifylline, when compared with the group that had irradiation only.
Conclusion: This experimental study showed that vitamin E supplementation immediately after irradiation protected rats against radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The combination with pentoxifylline was more effective, although pentoxifylline itself had limited efficacy, which was not statistically significant.