The Inhibitory Effects of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis Larvae Extract on Human Platelet Aggregation and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Expression

The white-spotted flower chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis, is used as a traditional remedy against liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, and hepatic cancer. In this study, we investigated if P. brevitarsis extract (PBE) inhibited platelet aggregation via integrin alpha IIb/beta(3) regulation. We observed that PBE inhibited alpha IIb/beta(3) activation by regulating the cyclic nucleotides, cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate. Additionally, PBE affected phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, Akt, SYK, glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha/beta, cytosolic phospholipase A(2), and p38 expression, which are signal transduction molecules expressed by platelets, and consequently suppressed alpha IIb beta(3) activity and thromboxane A(2) generation. Taken together, PBE showed strong antiplatelet effects and may be used to block thrombosis- and platelet-mediated cardiovascular diseases.