pharmacology Of Dicumarol

Indication	For decreasing blood clotting. Often used along with heparin for treatment of deep vein thrombosis.
Pharmacodynamics	Dicumarol is an coumarin-like compound found in sweet clover. It is used as an oral anticoagulant and acts by inhibiting the hepatic synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors (prothrombin and factors VII, IX, and X). It is also used in biochemical experiments as an inhibitor of reductases.
Mechanism of action	Dicumarol inhibits vitamin K reductase, resulting in depletion of the reduced form of vitamin K (vitamin KH2). As vitamin K is a cofactor for the carboxylation of glutamate residues on the N-terminal regions of vitamin K-dependent proteins, this limits the gamma-carboxylation and subsequent activation of the vitamin K-dependent coagulant proteins. The synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X and anticoagulant proteins C and S is inhibited. Depression of three of the four vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors (factors II, VII, and X) results in decresed prothrombin levels and a decrease in the amount of thrombin generated and bound to fibrin. This reduces the thrombogenicity of clots.
Absorption	Not Available
Volume of distribution	Not Available
Protein binding	Not Available
Metabolism	Not Available
Route of elimination	Not Available
Half life	Not Available
Clearance	Not Available
Toxicity	LD50=233 mg/kg (orally in mice); LD50=250 mg/kg (orally in rats)