Ditazole and platelets. I. Effect of ditazole on human platelet function in vitro.

Ditazole (4,5-diphenyl-2-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-aminoxazol) has been shown to be a strong in vitro inhibitor of human platelet aggregation brought about by release reaction inducers; in contrast, it did not significantly affect primary ADP-induced aggregation. Ditazole strongly inhibited the release of platelet-bound 14C-serotonin under the influence of Thrombofax, whereas it did not interfere with the transport and storage of serotonin in nonstimulated platelets. The effect of ditazole was not potentiated by acetylsalicylic acid. Ditazole also inhibited ADP-reptilase clot retraction and modified thrombin-induced clot formation. The inhibition of platelet aggregation exerted by ditazole in plasma could be removed following gel filtration of platelets on Sepharose 2-B gel. This would indicate that ditazole does not act on platelets by a 'hit and run' mechanism.