Antithrombotic effect of ligustrazine hydrochloride injection on the model of induced arteriovenous shunt thrombosis

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to optimize the effective dose of heparin and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection (LHI) for drug combination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The animal clinical study of LHI was performed by the rat's model of induced arteriovenous shunt thrombosis. Experimental animals were grouped into several groups and separately treated with both LHI (20, 40, 80 mg/kg, i.p.) and heparin (60, 55, and 50 U/kg; 5000 U/ml; Sigma, i.v). The study had used thrombus weight, protein concentration in thrombus homogenate, inhibition rate of thrombosis, and plasma anti-thrombin activity as indications. RESULTS: The group combination (50, 80) got the result of 100% antithrombotic activity with 0 ± 0 mg of thrombus weight, 14 ± 3 μg/ml of protein concentration in thrombus homogenate and 1.5 ± 0.04 U/ml of plasma anti-thrombin activity. Its anti-thrombotic effect was much better than individual groups treated with LHI in a dose of 0 mg/kg and group of combination (0, 80) (P < 0.05) while antithrombotic effect of 55 and 60 U/kg heparin alone was only 37-58%. Therefore, the group of combination (50, 80) was optimal for 100% antithrombotic activity. CONCLUSION: Optimal combined doses of LHI and heparin preventing blood coagulation were determined and the results were available. It may give some hint for the further clinical application on human.