Pheretima extract relieves inflammation and thrombosis in zebrafish

This study investigated the anti-thrombotic activity and underlying mechanisms of action of Pheretima extract (Phe) based on a zebrafish model. A Ponatinib (PON)-induced zebrafish thrombosis model was used to evaluate the anti-thrombotic activity of Phe by measuring heart rate and blood flow velocity. The transgenic zebrafish line Tg(CD41:eGFP), with fluorescently labeled platelets, was used to quantify circulating platelets in vivo, while the macrophage-labeled transgenic line Tg(coro1a:EGFP) was used to assess the effects of Phe on inflammatory responses. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to examine the impact of the Phe on the expression of related target genes. The results showed that Phe significantly improved multiple pathological indicators in the PON-induced zebrafish thrombosis model: it effectively restored drug-induced reductions in heart rate, improved tail blood flow velocity, alleviated inflammatory responses, and reduced the consumption of circulating platelets. Further quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis indicated that Phe, as the primary active component of Qilong capsules, effectively inhibited the upregulation of multiple coagulation- (VWF, f2, fga, fgb, and tbxas1) and inflammation-related genes (NF-κB and IL-1β) induced by PON. These findings suggest that Phe might exert anti-thrombotic effects by regulating the coagulation cascade, inhibiting platelet activation and aggregation, and suppressing inflammatory response.