Sympathomimetic amine-induced potentiation of fibrinolytic activity is partly modulated by endogenous prostaglandins in the rat.

Blood fibrinolytic activity was assessed on fibrin plates. Epinephrine and norepinephrine produced a time-dependent potentiation of fibrinolysis following intravenous injection into rats which was reduced by indomethacin (3 mg/kg, i.v.) and completely abolished by phentolamine (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.). Propranolol (0.5 mg/kg) had no effect on the fibrinolysis produced by epinephrine. The study demonstrates that endogenous prostaglandins modulate in part the fibrinolysis induced by sympathomimetic amines via activation of alpha-adrenoceptors in vivo.