Studies on the anticoagulant action of Aspilia africana

An anticoagulant activity was identified and isolated from the leaves of a West African plant, Aspilia africana by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The anticoagulant factor had an apparent molecular weight of approximately 60,000 d. Upon incubation with plasma, it prolonged the partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, thrombin and reptilase time. The factor decreased the fibrinogen content of plasma as well as the activity of coagulation factors V, VIII and IX but not factor VII, X or XI activities. After incubation with fibrinogen, the thrombin clotting time was prolonged and the quantity of clottable fibrinogen reduced. The action on fibrinogen was characterized by sequential lytic breakdown of the A-alpha-chain and B-beta-chain, the gamma-chain being lysed last, after prolonged incubation. Benzamidine, Epsilon aminocaproic acid or soybean trypsin inhibitor did not impede lysis.