Additive effect of the combined administration of low molecular weight heparin and recombinant hirudin on thrombus growth in a rabbit jugular vein thrombosis model

Recombinant hirudin (r-hirudin) is a new anticoagulant with specific antithrombin activity independently of antithrombin III. Low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) exert predominantly anti-Xa activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that combined administration of r-hirudin and LMWH would induce a stronger antithrombotic effect as compared to r-hirudin administered alone or combined with unfractionated heparin. To assess the effect on thrombus growth, we determined the accretion of 125I-labeled fibrinogen onto autologous non-radioactive thrombi preformed in the jugular veins of rabbits. The rabbits received unfractionated heparin (80 anti-factor Xa U), LMWH (80 anti-factor Xa U) or r-hirudin (0.3, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg) either separately or by combined infusion for a 3 h period. R-Hirudin reduced the thrombus growth in a dose dependent fashion. The combined administration of 80 anti-Xa U LMWH and r-hirudin at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg resulted in a stronger antithrombotic effect as compared to the combined infusion of unfractionated heparin and r-Hirudin (thrombus growth: 14.3% +/- 6.0 vs 28.9% +/- 6.5; p = 0.001). This difference in additive antithrombotic effect of 80 anti-Xa U LMWH versus unfractionated heparin on r-hirudin was also observed when LMWH was combined with 5.0 mg/kg and 10.0 mg/kg r-hirudin versus unfractionated heparin combined with r-hirudin (thrombus growth: 16.4% +/- 1.6 vs 29.1% +/- 3.9; p = 0.01 and 10.1% +/- 1.8 vs 20.4% +/- 4.5; p = 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, this study showed an additive antithrombotic effect of LMWH on the thrombus growth reducing effect of r-hirudin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Resumen tomado de PubMed (NCBI) para el registro citado, en el idioma original. La versión de referencia es la de la publicación original.

El resumen se deja sin traducir para conservar la redacción original de los autores.

In a rabbit jugular vein thrombosis model, recombinant hirudin reduced thrombus growth dose-dependently. Adding low-molecular-weight heparin enhanced r-hirudin's antithrombotic effect more than unfractionated heparin, with thrombus growth of 14.3% vs 28.9% (p=0.001) at 0.3 mg/kg r-hirudin.

Explore cómo esta investigación se conecta con la práctica clínica

Más estudios revisados por pares en la categoría «Farmacología salival».

• Novel Leech Antimicrobial Peptides — Hirunipins — Kumar et al. (2025)
• Leech Salivary Proteome and Transcriptome: 434 Deduced Protein Sequences — Liu Z, Tong X, Su Y, et al. (2019)
• Medicinal Leech Draft Genome — Anticoagulant Gene Survey — Kvist S, Manzano-Marín A, de Carle D, Trontelj P, Siddall ME (2020)
• Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome — Bilden A et al. (2026)
• Efficacy and Safety of Hirudotherapy for Improving Sperm Quality Parameters in Male Infertility: A Randomized Controlled Trial — Abtahi-Forooshani M et al. (2026)
• Medicinal leeches and hirudotherapy — Gödekmerdan A et al. (2011)
• PEROXIDATION OF SALIVA LIPIDS IN PATIENTS WITH POSTCOVID SYNDROME DURING HIRUDOTHERAPY — Serikbayeva S et al. (2024)
• Medicinal leech therapy in pain syndromes: a narrative review — Koeppen D, Aurich M, Rampp T (2014)
• Leech therapy in the treatment of a penile haematoma in a stallion — Nowicki A, Jaworska J, Baranski W (2021)
• Leech therapy (Hirudo medicinalis) attenuates testicular damages induced by testicular ischemia/reperfusion in an animal model — Davoodi F et al. (2021)

Ver toda la investigación analizada por la ASH →