Correlation between bleeding time and antithrombotic effect of platelet-suppressive agents in rat experimental model

To examine whether the dosage of a platelet-suppressive agent at which an antithrombotic effect is adequate and bleeding tendency is not increased can be found, the antithrombotic effects, antiplatelet effects and bleeding times of ticlopidine and aspirin were investigated in the rat experimental thrombus formation model. Thrombus formation was determined by measuring the change in wet weight of a silk thread placed in a carotid arteriovenous shunt. Ticlopidine inhibited thrombus formation and platelet aggregation at rather low doses (50-100 mg/kg) without prolonging bleeding time. However, aspirin did not inhibit thrombus formation at even the highest examined dose (200 mg/kg), while bleeding time was prolonged at even the lowest dose (50 mg/kg). These results suggest that a dosage of antithrombotic agent that does not increase bleeding tendency can be easily established using ticlopidine, although it is relatively difficult using aspirin.