In an effort to develop potent antiplatelet agents, a series of trihydroxychalcones was synthesized and screened in vitro for their inhibitory effects on washed rabbit platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid (100 microM) and collagen (10 microg/ml). Of five compounds with potent inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation, compound 4e was found to be the most potent. The structure-activity relationships suggested that antiplatelet activity was governed to a greater extent by the substituent on B ring of the chalcone template, and most of the active compounds had methoxy or dimethoxy groups on B ring.