Novel nitric oxide (NO) releasing derivatives (7a–7l) of 3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) were designed and synthesized. Compound 7e inhibited the adenosine diphosphate (ADP), thrombin (TH) and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced in vitroplatelet aggregation, superior to NBP and aspirin, released moderate levels of NO, and improved aqueous solubility relative to NBP. Furthermore, 7e exhibited greater antithrombotic activity than NBP and aspirin in rats, and protected against collagen and adrenaline-induced thrombosis in mice. Therefore, NO-releasing NBP derivatives possessed potent antiplatelet aggregation and antithrombotic activity. Our findings may aid in the design of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of thrombosis-related ischemic stroke.
