In-vitro and ex-vivo inhibition of blood platelet aggregation by naftazone

Because of the considerable interest in the role of platelets and antiplatelet therapy in cardiovascular disease, including the aggregation of platelets to each other during arterial thrombosis and atherogenesis, we have studied the effect of naftazone (Etioven), an original vasculotropic drug on platelet aggregation. Rat and human platelets were prepared and incubated in-vitro with different concentrations of naftazone. We found that naftazone inhibited both platelet secretion and aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and washed platelets after stimulation with thrombin or ADP. Rats were also treated intraperitoneally for five days with various naftazone doses (0.125-10 mg kg(-1)) and ex-vivo platelet aggregation compared, at various times after the last injection, with that of control animals. Inhibition by naftazone was dose-dependent in both PRP and isolated platelets. The inhibition was transient, a maximum value (similar to 50%) being obtained about 3-6 h after the last injection, with a return to near-control values after 24 h. Naftazone also facilitated platelet deaggregation after in-vitro stimulation with thrombin or ADP. In another series of experiments, rats were treated intraperitoneally for five days with 10 mg kg(-1) of aspirin, ticlopidine, dipyridamole or naftazone. Platelets were prepared and tested for aggregation 90 min after the last injection, Thrombin-induced aggregation in PRP and washed platelets was significantly reduced after in-vivo treatment with ticlopidine and naftazone. Except for dipyridamole, all the drugs inhibited ex-vivo ADP-induced aggregation in PRP. In isolated platelet preparation, only naftazone induced a significant inhibition of ADP- or thrombin-stimulated aggregation. We conclude that naftazone inhibits platelet aggregation in-vitro and ex-vivo.