The antithrombotic effect of aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) which inhibits binding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelet glycoprotein lb (GPlb) receptor was evaluated in photochemically-induced thrombosis models in the femoral artery of rats and guinea-pigs. 2. ATA at a dose of 10 mg kg-1 significantly prolonged the time required for thrombotic occlusion of the artery in rats. The antithrombotic efficacy was associated with a significant inhibition of platelet retention and ex vivo botrocetin-induced platelet aggregation. 3. On the other hand, in guinea-pigs, ATA at the same dose inhibited the platelet retention and the platelet aggregation, but did not prevent thromboocclusion. 4. ATA inhibited aggregation of washed platelets from rats or guinea-pigs in response to botrocetin and thrombin in a dose-dependent manner (1-30 microM), and to the same extent. 5. ATA moderately increased activated partial thromboplastin time and bleeding time in both species. 6. These results indicate that vWF may play a role in the development of occlusive arterial thrombosis in the rat, but not in the guinea-pig. 7. The antithrombotic activity of ATA may partly arise from its inhibitory effect on thrombin, in addition to that on the vWF-GPlb pathway
