Acetylenic analog of arachidonate that acts like aspirin on platelets.

Development of irreversible platelet aggregation and the accompanying release of platelet-bound serotonin and production of prostaglandins is suppressed by 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (TYA). These findings may be explained by an ability of TYA to inhibit the enzymatic conversion of arachidonate to a newly recognized factor, labile aggregation-stimulating substance, which induces platelet aggregation, and to prostaglandins E(2) and F(2alpha).