ANTI-COAGULANT EFFECT OF AN ERGOT MESYLATE (HYDERGINE): A STUDY IN SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

Abstract

Nootropics are cognition enhancers that are used to treat cognitive impainnent. Hydergine is one of the nootropics and is an extract of ergot of rye. Physiologically it is a proven vasodilator. In the cunent study the anticoagulatory effect of hydergine was investigated both in vivo and ex vivo. For ill vivo experiments, Sprague-dawley rats were exposed to 1.5mg, 3.0mg and 4.5mg hydergine and 71.4IU/Kg heparin. Same doses were applied with prior fresh plasma exposW'e in another set of experiments. After 1.5 hour of dlUg administration, animals were sacrificed and coagulation assays including bleeding time, clotting time, INR, PT, APTT and plasma calcium analysis along with complete blood counts were canied out. For ex vivo studies, blood aspired from a group of healthy aninlals was exposed to O.lmg, O.2mg O.3mg hydergine and to lIU heparin and fresh plasma solutions taken in separate tubes as parallel controls. Then clotting time, PT, INR, APTT and plasma calcium concentration were analyzed in differently treated blood samples. Means of all the treatment groups were compared using one-way ANOV A, Dunken's and Tukey's tests were applied for intra group compruisons using SPSS softwru·e. Results showed that bleeding time and clotting time of animals exposed to high doses of hydergine increased significantly while plasma calcium levels decreased. PT, APrT and INR did not show any significant change. Platelet count, PDW, MPV, PLCR, RBC, RDW, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCR, MCRC, TLC, and lymphocyte number did not show any vruiation when compru"ed with the control animals. Lymphocyte percentage was however, elevated in hydergine treated aIlimals. In ex vivo experiment CT and APTT were elevated while plasma calcium, PT and INR did not show any significant vruiation from control. The present findings suggest that hydergine may increase the bleeding efficiency possibly by modulating calcium-signaling action.