Suppression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis by combination therapy: pentoxifylline as a steroid-sparing agent.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is frequently treated by corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone. However, continuous treatment with steroids often results in adverse effects. In the present study we evaluated the therapeutic potential of a combination of suboptimal doses of methylprednisolone (Solumedrol) and Pentoxifylline (PTX), a general phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, in rat experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG).