title: Defibrotide: properties and clinical use of an old/new drug.
abstract: The drug named defibrotide (DFT) has been studied for many years. It has been shown to possess many activities: profibrinolytic, antithrombotic-thrombolytic, antiischemic (heart, liver, kidney, skin, brain), antishock, antiatherosclerotic, antirejection and anti-angiogenic. The previously displayed activities, as antithrombotic, profibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory, suggested its use in vascular disorders, as in the treatment of peripheral obliterative arterial disease and in thrombophlebitis. Some years after, the use of DFT in hepatic veno-occlusive disease has been also proposed. Even if DFT was considered for long time a multi-target drug, now it could be considered on the whole as a drug able to protect endothelium against activation. The present work reviews the more important experimental and clinical studies performed to detect DFT effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences of Health, University of the Study of Milan, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pescador
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capuzzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fulgenzi
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ferrero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides; C036901:defibrotide
keywords: Defibrotide; Endothelial activation; Inflammation; Venous occlusive disease