Influence of Thrombin Inhibitors on the Thrombin-Induced Activation of Human Blood Platelets

Abstract
The influence of thrombin inhibitors, which differ both in their chemical structure and type of inhibition, on the thrombin-platelet reaction was studied. The inhibitory effects of the competitive inhibitors tested on the thrombin-induced platelet reaction correlated well with their effects on the thrombin-catalyzed fibrinogen conversion and on the thrombin-catalyzed hydrolysis of synthetic substrates. Heparin and antithrombin III inhibited the thrombin-induced platelet reaction. However, heparin did not potentiate the inhibition by antithrombin III of the thrombin-platelet reaction.