Hemovasal produced by Manetti-Roberts, Florence, Italy, is a glycosaminoglycan obtained from porcine intestinal mucosa which belongs to the family of heparan sulfates. The substance was examined On 36 male survivors of myocardial infarction with an interval of at least 6 months after the acute event. No anticoagulants were given and ASA was withdrawn at least 2 weeks before the trial. Hemovasal was administered in 3 different i.m. doses as single injections. A further group received a daily oral dose of 300 mg for one week. A comparable placebo group of patients as well as a group of healthy volunteers was run in parallel. The coagulation profile showed only a slight prolongation of the aPTT, a trace of diminution of Antithrombin III and no activation of heparin cofactor II. The fibrinolytic system showed an enhancement of the diurnal increase of t-PA without an alteration of the total increase of this activity. There was a considerable and highly significant diminution of the PAI-1 activity. This was dose dependent and could be found after i.m. as well as after oral administration. It was assumed that the thrombolytic effect which was repeatedly described was a consequence of the diminution of PAI-1.
