The naphthoquinone plumbagin suppresses ADP-induced rat platelet aggregation through P2Y1-PLC signaling pathway.

Plumbagin (PLB) isolated from Plumbago zeylanica L (Plumbaginaceae) was evaluated for the suppressive effect and mechanism on ADP induced rat platelet aggregation. Adult male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, clopidogrel group, PLB 25mg/kg group and PLB 50mg/kg group. Clopidogrel (13.5mg/kg per day) and PLB (25 and 50mg/kg per day) were orally given to experimental rats by gavage for seven consecutive days. The antiplatelet properties were assessed by measuring the ADP-induced platelet aggregation rate (Aggmax). The level of cAMP in platelets before aggregation was determined by ELISA. The protein expression of pAkt, Akt, pPLC β3 and PLC β3 in platelets was measured by western blot. Our data indicated that PLB (25 and 50mg/kg) significantly inhibited ADP-induced rat platelet aggregation as well as clopidogrel (13.5mg/kg) in a dose dependent manner compared with the control group. PLB (25 and 50mg/kg) remarkably reduced the ADP-induced PLC β3 phosphorylation but not Akt in platelets as compared with the control group. The present study suggests that PLB exerts a suppressive effect on ADP-induced rat platelet aggregation, at least in part, through P2Y1-PLC signaling pathway.