Efficacy of Ibudilast on lower limb circulation of diabetic patients with minimally impaired baseline flow: a study using color Doppler ultrasonography and laser Doppler flowmetry.

Ibudilast is a prostacyclin-mediated vasodilator and antiplatelet agent. The hemodynamic effects of ibudilast were evaluated in 41 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus by means of two-dimensional Doppler ultrasonography and laser Doppler blood flowmetry. Before and one hour after oral administration of ibudilast (10 mg), or elastase (1800 U) as a control, the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the dorsal pedis artery, its blood flow index (BFI), and dermal microcirculatory blood volume (MBV) were measured. In the ibudilast group, all of the parameters (CSA, BFI, and MBV) significantly increased as compared with the elastase group. These data suggest that ibudilast is effective in ameliorating diabetic macroangiopathy and microangiopathy of the lower limbs.