Antithrombotic effects of recombinant hirudin in experimental angioplasty and intravascular thrombolysis
Research article published in Thrombosis and haemostasis (1990)
Abstract
The effect of recombinant desulphatohirudin CGP 39393 (rH) on arterial thrombus formation and especially on thrombotic reocclusion after experimental angioplasty as well as after thrombolysis was investigated in rabbits. In the femoral artery thrombi were induced after endothelial damage of the vessel wall by a balloon catheter and following stasis. After removing the thrombus by angioplasty or after lysing it by streptokinase reocclusion of the artery was observed within a relatively short period of time. Subcutaneous injection of rH reduced the incidence of both primary thrombus formation and reocclusion in dependence on the dose administered. After a dose of rH of 2 mg/kg s.c. arterial thrombus formation was completely prevented and after administering 4 mg/kg s.c. thrombotic reocclusion did also not occur. Comparative studies with heparin showed that similar antithrombotic effects were only achieved at doses of 12 mg heparin/kg s.c. The results obtained suggest a clear potential of rH for prevention of thrombotic reocclusion in clinical states.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Antithrombotic effects of recombinant hirudin in experimental angioplasty and intravascular thrombolysis.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This animal study investigated recombinant desulphatohirudin CGP 39393 (rH) in rabbits, assessing its effects on arterial thrombus formation and reocclusion after experimental femoral angioplasty or streptokinase thrombolysis following balloon-catheter endothelial damage and stasis. Subcutaneous rH dose-dependently reduced primary thrombus and reocclusion: 2 mg/kg completely prevented thrombus formation, 4 mg/kg prevented reocclusion, and similar antithrombotic effects with heparin required 12 mg/kg. This is relevant to ASH's domain as experimental evaluation of a recombinant hirudin's antithrombotic activity in a vascular-injury model. The caveat is that it is preclinical rabbit data only; the abstract does not mention leeches, leech therapy, or the broader leech secretome, and the agent is a specific recombinant hirudin variant rather than whole-organism hirudotherapy.
Citation
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