Clotting Action of Rabbit-Clotting Globulin

Abstract

Parfentjev 1 has shown that a “pseudoglobulin” fraction derived from rabbit plasma acts as a powerful blood coagulant. Taylor and his coworkers 2 , 3 have reported on its in vitro action and its local hemostatic effect on cutaneous and oral bleeding surfaces. This report covers a study of the in vitro and in vivo action of “rabbit-clotting globulin.”∗

The clotting properties of the stock globulin solution were tested on oxalated and heparinized normal dog blood, on fibrinogen solution, on oxalated 1% prothrombin dog blood, and on blood containing adrenalin. In all instances the globulin exhibited powerful thrombic activity. Oxalated blood was clotted more rapidly than heparinized blood. Neither low prothrombin nor adrenalin inhibited the speed of coagulation. Quantitatively our globulin was not as potent a coagulant as the material reported on by the previous observers. 2

Twenty-two dogs were used to study the effects of globulin administered intravenously. The injection of 0.03 cc or more per kg resulted in the appearance of toxic signs, and 0.3 cc or more per kg was invariably lethal. Doses smaller than 0.3 cc/kg occasionally resulted in death and the severity of toxic signs varied with individual animals. Two of 3 animals were protected from lethal intravenous injection of globulin by the subcutaneous administration of adrenalin. A significant reduction in the clotting time followed the intravenous injection of 0.01 cc to 0.05 cc of globulin per kg. When larger quantities were injected slowly there resulted initially a fall in the clotting time followed by a prolongation. No constant variation in the dog's prothrombin or fibrinogen blood levels accompanied a fall in the clotting time, but one or both of these decreased with a negative phase of coagulation. Thus the intravenous administration of globulin resulted in a positive or negative phase, or both, depending on the amount and rapidity of the injection.