Antithrombotic activity of argan oil: An in vivo experimental study

Objective: Argan oil has been shown to inhibit in vitro and ex vivo platelet aggregation without extending bleeding time. In this report, we examined in vivo the antithrombotic activity of argan oil in an experimental thrombosis model in mice: acute pulmonary thromboembolism and in vitro its effect in a coagulation assay. Methods: Acute pulmonary thromboembolism was induced, after argan oil treatment, by an intravenous injection of a collagen and epinephrine mixture. The paralyzed and dead mice in each group were numbered and the percentage of protection against acute pulmonary thromboembolism was calculated. The histologic study was conducted in lung tissue to estimate the percentage of opened and occluded vessels by platelet thrombi. The coagulation assay was monitored in platelet-poor plasma from normal rats by measuring the clotting parameters (activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time) in the presence and absence of argan oil. Results: Argan oil (1 mL/100 g/day), administered orally, showed an antithrombotic activity preventing the paralysis or death (50%) induced by the collagen-epinephrine intravenous injection. This observation was confirmed by the lung histologic examination, in which the density of occluded blood vessels was significantly decreased (62.16 +/- 3.95%). However, the argan oil remained inactive for the coagulation parameters of activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time at variance with heparin, an anticoagulant reference drug. The antithrombotic activity of argan oil seemed unrelated to the anticoagulant activity. Conclusion: We suggest that argan oil might be an interesting natural dietary source for the nutritional prevention of hemostasis and cardiovascular disorders. Clinical trials would be necessary and relevant to confirm this hypothesis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.