CrataBL, a lectin and Factor Xa inhibitor, plays a role in blood coagulation and impairs thrombus formation

Arterial thrombosis is an important complication of diabetes and cancer, being an important target for therapeutic intervention. Crataeva tapia bark lectin (CrataBL) has been previously shown to have hypoglycemiant effect and also to induce cancer cell apoptosis. It also showed inhibitory activity against Factor Xa (K-iapp = 8.6 m). In the present study, we evaluated the anti-thrombotic properties of CrataBL in arterial thrombosis model. CrataBL prolongs the activated partial thromboplastin time on human and mouse plasma, and it impairs the heparin-induced potentiation of antithrombin III and heparin-induced platelet activation in the presence of low-dose ADP. It is likely that the dense track of positive charge on CrataBL surface competes with the heparin ability to bind to antithrombin III and to stimulate platelets. In the photochemically induced thrombosis model in mice, in the groups treated with 1.25, 5.0, or 10 mg/kg CrataBL, prior to the thrombus induction, the time of total artery occlusion was prolonged by 33.38%, 65%, and 66.11%, respectively, relative to the time of the control group. In contrast to heparin, the bleeding time in CrataBL-treated mice was no longer than in the control. In conclusion, CrataBL was effective in blocking coagulation and arterial thrombus formation, without increasing bleeding time.