Endogenous prostacyclin biosynthesis and platelet function during selective inhibition of thromboxane synthase in man.

The consequences of inhibiting the metabolism of prostaglandin G2 to thromboxane A2 in man were studied by using an inhibitor of thromboxane synthase, 4-[2-(IH-imidazol-1-yl)ethoxy] benzoic acid hydrochloride (dazoxiben). Single doses of 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg of dazoxiben were administered to healthy volunteers at 2-wk intervals in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind manner. Serum thromboxane B2 and aggregation studies in whole blood and platelet-rich plasma were measured before dosing and at 1, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h after dosing. Both serum thromboxane B2 and the platelet aggregation response to arachidonic acid (1.33 mM) were reversibly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Aggregation induced by 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (0.4 and 4.0 microM) in platelet-rich plasma as well as both aggregation and nucleotide release induced by collagen (95 micrograms/ml) in platelet-rich plasma and whole blood were unaltered by dazoxiben. Additional evidence for a platelet-inhibitory effect of the compound was a significant prolongation of the bleeding time at 1 h after administration of the highest dose (200 mg) of dazoxiben. Endogenous prostacyclin biosynthesis was assessed by measurement of the major urinary metabolite of prostacyclin, 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha (PGI-M). PGI-M excretion was increased by dazoxiben; it rose a mean 2.4-fold from predosing control values at 0-6 h after administration of the highest dose studied (200 mg).