Defibrotide is equipotent to urokinase in stimulating arterial and venous thrombolysis

The action of iv. defibrotide (100 mg/kg bolus injection, followed by 30 mg/kg x h) on arterial and venous thrombus formation was studied in rabbits and compared with iv. urokinase (4,000 IU/kg bolus injection, followed by 1,500 IU/kg x h). In comparison with saline treated controls, defibrotide reduced the thrombus weight by 43% in veins and 76% in arteries (P less than 0.01), while urokinase reduced the thrombus weight by 50% in veins and 71% in arteries. The data suggest a potent thrombolytic activity of defibrotide which is comparable to that of urokinase.