A comparative study of the involvement of the prostaglandin H2/thromboxane A2 pathway in intravascular platelet aggregation in guinea‐pigs and rats

The effects of indomethacin, dazoxiben and EPO45 on collagen-induced platelet aggregation in vivo were studied in guinea-pigs and rats to determine the involvement of the prostaglandin endoperoxide/thromboxane A2 pathway in the aggregatory response. Indomethacin and EPO45 (a thromboxane receptor antagonist) partially inhibited platelet aggregation in rats. It was concluded that only one third of the aggregatory response to collagen was mediated by the products of cyclo-oxygenase conversion of arachidonic acid. In rats, dazoxiben was inactive although the conversion of the prostaglandin endoperoxides to thromboxane A2 was inhibited (measured as thromboxane B2). 6-keto PGF1 alpha was detected in plasma after collagen was injected into dazoxiben-treated rats. In this species therefore, the endoperoxides have significant aggregatory activity whilst the apparent increase in the level of prostacyclin was not sufficient to have any anti-aggregatory effect. All three drugs were active in the guinea-pig. About 60% of the aggregatory response to collagen was due to the products of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway, the main mediator being thromboxane A2. In guinea-pigs, dazoxiben also elevated 6-keto PGF1 alpha in the plasma after an injection of collagen. However, this apparent increase in prostacyclin production did not contribute to the anti-aggregatory effect.