This study compares some in vivo pharmacological properties of CY 216 and of its ACLM and BCLM components having a molecular weight above and below 5.4 kDa respectively. The anti-factor Xa/antithrombin ratio of these compounds determined in a rabbit plasma system were 2.5 and 1.2 for CY 216 and ACLM respectively while BCLM was devoid of anti-thrombin effect. After bolus intravenous injection, continous infusion and subcutaneous administration, the clearances of anti-factor Xa activity generated by ACLM were, on the average, 2 and 1.5 times higher than those generated by BCLM and CY 216 respectively. The clearances of the anti-thrombin activity were comparable for CY216 and ACLM, and higher than those of the antifactor Xa activity. The duration of the antithrombotic effect was investigated in the Wessler model after a single subcutaneous injection of 1000 anti-factor Xa units of one of the compounds. Using thromboplastin as thrombogenic stimulus, the most efficient agent was ACLM and the antithrombotic activity was essentially correlated to the circulating anti-thrombin activity. Using human serum as thrombogenic stimulus, ACLM and BCLM were more efficient than CY 216 and the antithrombotic activity was mainly correlated to the anti-factor Xa activity. The ability of the 3 compounds to inhibit venous thrombosis growth was compared: they were found equipotent and the antithrombotic effect was independent of the anti-thrombin activity. The prohaemorrhagic properties were compared in the rabbit ear model. The activity of the 3 compounds were comparable and significantly less prohaemorrhagic than unfractionated heparin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)