Effect of lead pollution on anticoagulant effect of Whitmania pigra based on in vitro anticoagulation experiment

Abstract

Leech has a good anticoagulant activity and is one of the raw materials for treatment of many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study was based on in vitro anticoagulant experiments( APTT and PT) to investigate the effects of lead contamination on the anticoagulant effect of leech. At present,the Hirudo circulating in the market are dominated by Whitmania pigra,therefore Wh. pigra were cultivated under a different lead pollution for 50 days. Then,the effects of Wh. pigra extract,extracting from different cultivating environment,on activated partial thrombin time( APTT) and prothrombin time( PT) were determined by automatic coagulation instrument. The results showed that the Wh. pigra extract significantly prolonged the APTT compared with the saline group.The APTT of the lead-high residual Wh. pigra was shorter than that of the blank Wh. pigra. The Wh. pigra extracts from different treatment groups had little effect on PT. The results showed that the lead residue in the Wh. pigra increased with the increase of lead in the cultured soil,the lead residual of the Pb-H group was( 10. 66±2. 79) mg·kg~(-1),which exceeded the lead limit specified in the 2015 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The results indicated that growth environment pollution is one of the important factors causing excessive lead in Wh. pigra. Lead pollution will reduce the anticoagulant effect of Wh. pigra and affect its clinical efficacy.