Coagulation and fibrinolysis in rats poisoned with mercuric chloride.

The effect of mercuric chloride on blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in rats was studied. The mercurial was administered to the animals intragastrically in a single dose of 17.9 mg Hg/kg and the effects were tested on the 1st, 3rd and 7th day. The symptoms of hypercoagulability accompanied by decreased fibrinolytic activity of the plasma were observed in the poisoned rats. The main reason of the lowered fibrinolytic activity seemed to be the inhibition of plasma plasminogen activator or the inhibition of plasminogen activation reaction catalyzed by this enzyme.