A Blood Anticoagulant Substance from Garlic (Allium Sativum); I. Its Preparation and Studies on its Anticoagulant Effect

ABSTRACT

The blood eanticoagulant factor (G. E.) in garlic was isolated. This substance was precipitated at a neutral pH as the calcium salt in water, and then the calcium salt was dissolved at a pH of 3.0. Calcium was removed by adding sodium oxalate. Then G. E. was precipitated by adding two volumes of 95% ethanol. The effect of G. E. on blood coagulation was studied; prothrombin time, blood clotting time, antithrombin, anti-Ac-globulin and fibrinolysis. A half mg of G. E. completely inhibited one ml of blood from coagulating. The blood specimen containing G.E. showed a prolongation of the prothrombin time. As the calcium ion concentration increased, the prothrombin time of the plasma containing G. E. was reduced, but not to that of the control(oxalated plasma). This indicated that G. E. inhibited the prothrombin time by precipitating calcium ions, and, in addition to this calcium precipitation, another means of G. E. inhibition may be present. G. E. showed fibrinolytic effects and, in the prothrombin time tests, the plasma containing G. E. always showed less fibrin formation than was shown with oxalated plasma. G. E. showed inhibition of fibrin formation in experiments on its antithrombic effect. But this action may not be due to the antithrombin effect of G. E. but to the fibrinolytic effect of G. E. In in-vivo experiments G. E. did not show any anticoagulant effect. From these facts, it may be said that G. E. has an anticoagulant effect in at least two ways in vitro; first by precipitating calcium ions and secondly by causing fibrinolysis.