Abstract
1. Benzodiazepine analogues inhibit human platelet aggregation induced by arachidonate with an EC50 value of 0.68 microM for PK 11195, the most potent analogue used. 2. There was a highly significant correlation between the inhibition of arachidonate-induced aggregation and the affinity for the peripheral-type of benzodiazepine binding sites. 3. There was no significant correlation between the inhibition of the platelet activating factor (PAF)-induced aggregation and the binding to the peripheral-type of benzodiazepine binding sites. 4. The inhibition of platelet aggregation seems to result from the inhibition of arachidonic acid cyclo-oxygenation, since the synthesis of thromboxane and 12-hydroxy-heptadecatrienoic acid, both cyclo-oxygenase products, was reduced. 5. Our results suggest that peripheral-type of benzodiazepine binding sites on human platelets could be linked to cyclo-oxygenase.