Pentoxifylline, a drug used to treat circulation problems, may also benefit those with kidney disease caused by diabetes and other conditions. Specifically, pentoxifylline decreases proteinuria, the abnormal leakage of protein into the urine which frequently signals kidney disease, according to the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
 
Pentoxifylline makes red blood cells more flexible to improve circulation in the smallest blood vessels of the body. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. Several small clinical trials have suggested that the drug decreases proteinuria caused by diabetes.

This article originally appeared in the October 2008 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Electronic Newsletter.