Thrombolytic effects of fucoidans were investigated in the FeCl3-induced arterial thrombus mouse model and compared with heparin and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). Thrombosis model was made by applying 5% FeCl3 on the carotid artery of a Balb/c mouse. Twenty minutes after complete occlusion, a couple of test agents including fucoidan were infused into each mouse group with various doses intravenously, before measuring the time to reperfusion. The occluded arteries were reperfused 37.5 ± 12.4 min after administration of unfractionated fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida sporophylls (UPS-UF) with a dose of 100 mg/kg. In the mice given either a low-molecular-weight UPS fucoidan or fucoidan source from Fucus vesiculosus (FV-UF), reperfusion was delayed at 55.0 ± 8.0 min with a higher reperfusion effective dose (RED) of 1 g/kg or at 63.3 ± 7.2 at RED of 200 mg/kg, respectively. In the control mice given t-PA of 15 mg/kg, reperfusion occurred at 24.8 ± 6.5 min after administration. In contrast, reperfusion was not observed in the occluded mice given heparin (P < 0.001) in the range of 60-1000 mg/kg. Minimal injection of fucoidan in addition to a given t-PA-enabled restoration of blood flow in the blocked artery without reocclusion at 17.2 ± 2.3 min postinjection (P < 0.002). In conclusion, algal fucoidan has both thrombolytic activity and a stimulatory effect on the thrombolytic activity of t-PA in a dose-dependent manner at an arterial thrombosis model.

The antithrombotic activities and bleeding effects of selected fucoidans (source from either Undaria pinnatifida sporophylls or from Fucus vesiculosus) have been compared with heparin in the ferric chloride-induced arterial thrombus mouse model. Thrombosis was induced by applying 5% ferric chloride for 3 min on the carotid artery region of Balb/c mouse. Five minutes prior to thrombus induction, mice were infused through the tail vein with either saline (control) or polysaccharides. Either fucoidan or heparin was dosed at 0.1, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 10, 25, or 50 mg/kg intravenously (i.v.) The carotid blood flow was monitored until more than 60 min post-thrombus induction. Mouse tail transection bleeding time was measured up to 60 min after making a cut in the mouse tail. Both antithrombotic and bleeding effects were observed in a dose-dependent manner for both fucoidans and heparin. Thrombus formation was totally (reflected by Doppler flow meter) inhibited at either 5 or 50 mg/kg of unfractionated Undaria fucoidan or a low-molecular-weight Undaria fucoidan fraction, respectively, without prolonging the time-to-stop bleeding compared with the control (p < 0.01). The total inhibition of thrombus formation was observed for unfractionated Fucus fucoidan at 25 mg/kg where the time-to-stop bleeding was still significantly prolonged, by as much as 8 ± 1.7 min (p < 0.02). In contrast the heparin-treated group showed total inhibition of thrombus formation even at a small dose of 0.8 mg/kg (400 IU) at which bleeding continued until 60 min. In conclusion algal fucoidans are highly antithrombotic without potential haemorrhagic effects compared with heparin in the arterial thrombus model, but this property differs from algal species to species, and from the molecular structure of fucoidans.

Chiari's networks are present in 1.5% to 4% of the population. They are a congenital disease characterized by a remnant of the right valve of sinus venosus and rarely have clinical significance. Chiari's network, as the name implies, has network-like shape, but there are other forms of appearance. We have experienced a case of a 60-year-old woman who had a cystic mass on the right atrium. Surgical treatment was performed forthe mass removal and differential diagnosis of the mass. There was no evidence of other tumor, but Chiari's network. As cystic form of Chiari's network have not been reported before, it is the first report of cystic form of Chiari's network.

Aortic thrombi are important because it can cause the central and peripheral embolizations. Aortic thrombi can occur anywhere in the aorta but extremely rare in ascending aorta without atherosclerosis, aneurysm, cardiosurgical or traumatic state. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disorder of connective tissue and it can involve multisystem. Enhanced coagulation pathways, decreased fibrinolysis, and endothelial dysfunction probably contribute to vascular events in SSc. We report a case of a highly mobile thrombus in the ascending aorta, presented as an acute embolic stroke in the patient with systemic sclerosis. Surgical removal was performed to prevent recurrent embolic events.

Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is one of the photodynamically active substances that are endogenously synthesized in the metabolic pathway for heme as a precursor. Aminolevulinic acid-esters are more lipophilic than conventional 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and some of them are currently being approved as new drugs for photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). In order to investigate the pharmacokinetics of ALA and ALA-ethyl ester (ALA-ethyl) in the atheromatous plaque and normal aortic wall of rabbit postballoon injured artery, each 60 mg kg(-1) of ALA or ALA-ethyl was injected intravenously followed by serial detection of PpIX fluorescence of harvested arteries at 0-48 h post-injection. Maximum PpIX build-up in the atheromatous plaque was seen at 2 h after injecting ALA. In contrast, it occurred at 9 h after injecting ALA-ethyl. In addition, the selective build-up of ALA in the atheromatous plaque compared to normal vessel wall was much higher (10 times) than that of ALA-ethyl. The time of maximum fluorescence intensity of PpIX was employed as drug-light-interval for subsequent PDT treatment of the atheromatous plaque with 50-150 J cm(-1) of light dose. Significant reduction in plaque was observed without damage of the medial wall at both groups, but smooth muscle cell (SMC) was still present in the media region below the PDT-treated atheromatous plaque. In conclusion, ALA may be a more effective compound for endovascular PDT treatment of the atheromatous plaque compared with ALA-ethyl based on their pharmacokinetics, but further optimization of PDT methodology remains to remove completely residual SMC in the media for preventing potential restenosis.

A 42-year-old man presented with right hemiparesis. Brain imaging showed acute infarction in the left middle cerebral artery territory and a thrombosed aneurysm (figure). Extracranial carotid artery was normal. EKG and echocardiography were normal. Holter monitoring for 24 hours revealed no cardiac source of embolism.Cerebral infarction is a rare complication of unruptured aneurysm. 1 The imaging changes over time strongly suggest artery-to-artery embolism due to thrombosed unruptured aneurysm. Figure Thrombosed aneurysm causing cerebral infarctionBrain CT 3 years prior showed unruptured aneurysm without thrombus (A). Current CT demonstrates a thrombus (B, arrow). CT angiography revealed residual lumen from which the divisions of MCA take off (C, arrow). The thrombus formed a layer