Effects of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) on aggregation of human blood platelets.

The effects were examined of the universal solvent dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) on human platelet aggregatory activity, in-vitro, of the endogenous mediators ADP, adrenaline, arachidonic acid, collagen and PAF-acether which are believed to play important roles in cardiovascular diseases in man. DMSO inhibited aggregation induced by all of the mediators in the order ADP greater than adrenaline = arachidonic acid = PAF-acether greater than collagen. Since DMSO is widely used as a solvent for drug substances, an awareness of its intrinsic activity in any such evaluations is essential.