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In this study, we evaluated the synergistic effect of ginger and nifedipine on anti-platelet aggregation in normal human volunteers and hypertensive patients. The results showed that the percentage of platelet aggregation induced by collagen, ADP and epinephrine in hypertensive patients was larger than that in normal volunteers. Either aspirin or ginger could potentiate the anti-platelet aggregation effect of nifedipine in normal volunteer and hypertensive patients. These results suggested that ginger and nifedipine possessed synergistic effect on anti-platelet aggregation. A combination of 1 g ginger with 10 mg nifedipine per day could be valuable for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complication due to platelet aggregation.

In order to study the pharmacokinetics of puerarin and ginsenoside Rg1 of cerebral blood nutrition (CBN) and its relationship with pharmacodynamics of platelet aggregation induced by ADP in rat, the blood samples after injection were collected. The concentrations of puerarin and ginsenoside Rg1 in plasma were determined by RP-HPLC, and the platelet aggregations were observed simultaneously. The data showed that there was distinct statistic significance (p < 0.01) for puerarin processing, which was a single compartment model with quick elimination rate (t_1/2β = 18 min) and MRT (26 min), while ginsenoside Rg1 processing was a double compartment model with rapid distribution rate (t_1/2α = 8 min), slow elimination rate (t_1/2β = 11 hours) and MRT (3.3 hours). Effects of anti-platelet aggregation were presented at 5–10 min, 45–90 min and 6–8 hours after injection separately, and the corresponding concentrations of puerarin were 25–21 μg/ml, 4.5–0.8 μg/ml and 0 μg/ml, ginsenoside Rg1 were 7.6–6.7 μg/ml, 1.2–0.6 μg/ml and 1.8–0.5 μg/ml. The two components presented a positive correlation between their concentrations and the effect of anti-platelet aggregation in 5–10 min after CBN injection (coefficient of correlation were 0.999 and 0.995). However, it was noted that the effect was still stronger even when concentrations of puerarin and ginsenoside Rg1 in plasma decreased. Therefore, puerarin and ginsenoside Rg1 not only had different pharmacokinetics, but also had a positive correlation with platelet aggregation, just in 5–10 min after CBN injection.

Salvia miltiorrhiza and Panax notoginseng were both considered to be beneficial to cardiovascular diseases in traditional Chinese medicine and often used in combination. To examine the possible interaction between them, the effects of the active fractions of these two herbs, salvianolic acids (SA) and notoginsengnosides (NG), on platelet aggregation were checked respectively or in combination in vitro and in vivo. Both the platelet aggregation of platelet rich plasma (PRP) and washed platelet after ADP induction were checked. In vitro study showed that both SA and NG had an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. However, there is no synergistic effect of the combination of SA and NG in vitro. In vivo study showed that i.g. 550 mg/kg/day SA or NG for 5 days could significantly inhibit ADP-induced platelet aggregation of PRP. Moreover, combination of SA and NG at a ratio of 5:1 had a synergistic effect on platelet aggregation of PRP. The mechanism for the synergism of SA and NG in vivo was not clear. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of the plasma of rats received SA, NG or combination of SA and NG showed that co-administration of NG caused change in the plasma distribution profile of SA. The influence of combination on the absorption and/or metabolism of SA may be one of the reasons for the synergism of SA and NG in vivo.

Inappropriate platelet activation is the key point of thrombogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RESV), a compound extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Polygonum cuspidatum sieb et Zucc, on the platelet activation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and its possible mechanism. The percentage of platelet aggregation and surface P-selectin-positive platelets, and the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) of platelet were observed with platelet aggregometer, flow cytometry and phosphorimaging system, respectively. RESV at 25, 50 and 100 μM showed anti-platelet aggregation and inhibition of surface P-selectin-positive platelets in a concentration-dependent manner. RESV (50 μM) inhibited the activity of PKC in the membrane fraction of platelets and decreased the percentage of membrane associated PKC activity in total PKC activity. Moreover, DL-erythro-1,3-Dihydroxy-2-aminooctadecane, an elective protein kinase C inhibitor (PKCI), and RESV had additive effects of inhibiting the percentage of platelet aggregation and surface P-selectin-positive platelets. It is suggested that RESV may inhibit platelet aggregation, the percentage of surface P-selectin-positive platelets and subsequent thrombus formation. The mechanisms may be partly relative to the decrease of the activity of PKC of platelets.

Borneol is consumed excessively in China and Southeast Asian countries particularly in combined formula for preventing cardiovascular disease, but few studies were conducted on its effects on thrombosis. In this study, the antithrombotic and antiplatelet activities of borneol were investigated on thrombosis in vivo and on platelet aggregation ex-vivo. In addition, the coagulation parameters and influence on fibrinolytic activity were also assessed. The results showed that borneol had concentration dependent inhibitory effects on arterio-venous shunt and venous thrombosis but no effect on ADP and AA-induced platelet aggregation. Meanwhile, borneol prolonged the coagulation parameters for prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT), but did not show any fibrinolytic activity. It suggested that the antithrombotic activity of borneol and its action in combined formula for preventing cardiovascular diseases might be due to anticoagulant activity rather than antiplatelet activity.

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the protective effects and possible mechanisms of total flavones of rhododendra (TFR) against global cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats. Global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was caused by four vessel occlusion (bilateral vertebral arteries and bilateral carotid arteries, 4-VO). The electroencephalographic (EEG) changes were recorded. The EEG, brain water content, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in plasma, aggregation of platelets induced by ADP, and the resting and CaCl₂-induced increase of free intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i), were also evaluated. TFR dramatically elevated EEG amplitude, reduced the brain water content and the resting cytoplasmic free calcium concentration, inhibited the increase of [Ca²⁺]_i induced by CaCl₂ and had an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. The LDH activity and the MDA content in plasma were also decreased. These results indicate that TFR has protective effects against cerebral injury in rats, which might be associated with its antioxidant properties, antiplatelet effects and possible inhibition of Cal²⁺ influx to reduce [Ca²⁺]_i.