Edoxaban Dosing Time Affects Blood Coagulation Inhibition in Rats

Coagulation–fibrinolytic system activity shows daily rhythmicity, with hypercoagulability in the morning and hypocoagulability in the evening. Consequently, the efficacy of anticoagulants may be influenced by their dosing time. Edoxaban, a selective inhibitor of the active form of coagulation factor X (FXa), is taken orally once daily, but the optimal dosing time is unknown. This study evaluated the dosing time-dependent effects of edoxaban on coagulation activity and thrombus formation in rats. Edoxaban (10 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered to Wistar rats at zeitgeber time (ZT)-2 (beginning of the light phase) or ZT14 (beginning of the dark phase), followed by blood collection at ZT4, ZT10, ZT16, or ZT22, to measure the activity of coagulation factors and edoxaban concentrations, or followed by inferior vena cava ligations at ZT4 or ZT16, to assess the efficacy of edoxaban against thrombus formation. Coagulation FX activity was high during the light phase, and a single dose of edoxaban administered at ZT2 inhibited FX activity and thrombus formation more potently compared with the same dose administered at ZT14. The inhibitory effects during the light phase could be attributed, at least in part, to the high blood concentration of edoxaban achieved by dosing at ZT2. Morning dosing of edoxaban leads to a high blood concentration of the drug during the morning hours and thus may better counteract the hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolytic activity characteristic of the morning hours. Optimizing the dosing time may contribute to improving the efficacy of edoxaban.