Abstract

Pathologies associated with hypercoagulable states, including myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, are one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the approval of several new synthetic (including orally active) antithrombotic agents in recent years for treating such diseases, mainly direct thrombin, and factor Xa inhibitors, concerns still exist for side-effects, especially bleeding. There is still a therapeutic demand for safe and effective anticoagulant agents that present fewer side effects than the currently available drugs. Natural products and semi-synthetic molecules, as well as molecules inspired by natural scaffolds, have been an important source of drugs in the past decades. This chapter covers reports published in the last ten years concerning natural (or semi-synthetic) products that have been reported as in vitro and/or in vivo antithrombotic agents.