Summary
Polyunsaturated fatty acids were allowed to autoxidise in air over 4 days. The water
soluble oxidation products were extracted at daily intervals and tested for their
effect on blood coagulation. After 1 day there was slight acceleration of the recalcification
and RVV times, but from 2–4 days the extracts became increasingly inhibitory. The
P.T. and P.T.T. were also inhibited. In the thrombin generation test the extracts
delayed the appearance of thrombin, but the peak thrombin level was increased and
its rate of decay was reduced. When added to phospholipid the extracts altered their
coagulant activity. The presence of autoxidation products could account for some of
the variable results obtained with different preparations of phospholipids.
