Abstract: AIM: To compare the inhibitory activities of the active ingredients of several traditional Chinese medicines on platelet aggregation.METHODS: The platelet aggregation was tested with Born's method, which was induced by ADP, PAF and collagen.The effects on platelet aggregation of six ingredients were evaluated to determine their characteristics.RESULTS: Ginsenosides, panax notoginosides and safflor pigment showed significant inhibitory effects on the aggregation induced by the three drugs;ginsenosides showed the most potent inhibitory activity among them.Salvianolic acids and pueraria flavonoids evidently inhibited the aggregation induced by ADP or collagen, but did not influence PAF-induced platelet aggregation.Ophiopogon japonicus saponins significantly inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation, but did not obviously inhibit the aggregation induced by ADP or PAF.CONCLUSION: Ginsenosides showed the most potent inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation among these ingredinents.Panax notoginosides, ginsenosides and safflor pigment displayed extensive inhibitory activities on platelet aggregation.These results provide more information for the clinical selection of Chinese materia medica in the treatment of thrombotic diseases and the development of new Chinese medicine.

Key words: platelet aggregation, salvianolic acids, panax notoginosides, ginsenosides, safflor pigment, ophiopogon japonicus saponins, pueraria lavonoids