Violi F, Ferro D, Alessandri C, Quintarelli C, Saliola M, Balsano F
Instituto Ia Clinica Medica, Universita La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
Semin Thromb Hemost. 1989 Apr;15(2):226-9. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1002709.
Defibrotide, an antithrombotic drug, was previously shown to activate fibrinolysis. In order to elucidate the relationship between defibrotide treatment and fibrinolysis, ten atherosclerotic patients were given 1200 mg/day defibrotide intravenously for 7 days and then 400 mg/day intramuscularly for another 20 days. t-PA antigen assessed before and after venous occlusion was not affected by the treatment. Tissue PAI activity significantly decreased and t-PA activity, measured after venous occlusion, increased after 8 and 28 days of treatment; both these changes disappeared after defibrotide was discontinued. No particular side effects were detected throughout the investigation. The study suggests that defibrotide increases t-PA activity by reducing PAI activity.