Effect of Epsilonaminocaproic Acid on the Turnover of Labelled Fibrinogen in Rabbits

Bovine fibrinogen labelled with radioactive iodine was injected intravenously into eleven healthy rabbits. Twenty hours later and at selected intervals thereafter, blood was withdrawn, followed each time by 1.0 g of EACA or saline. The disappearance of the radioactive fibrinogen from the blood did not appear significantly altered by the drug despite the induced retardation of fibrinolysis. This suggests that the inherent fibrinolytie mechanism did not play a significant role in fibrinogen turnover. The relevance of the data to the postulated in vivo coagulation process and clotting balance is discussed.