beta-D xylosides have been shown to have venous antithrombotic properties after simple oral administration. Therefore, the arterial antithrombotic effect of these compounds was investigated in vivo, using the experimental thrombosis model induced by laser injury. The products tested were administered orally, 4 h before the thrombosis induction. Two beta-D xylosides were tested (LF 09-0055 and LP 05-0030), either after a simple oral administration at 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, or after repetitive oral administration at 200 mg/kg twice daily during 5 days. These compounds increased significantly the number of laser shots required to induce arterial thrombosis and decreased the number of emboli and the duration of embolization. At single-dose or repeated administrations, these xylosides did not affect diluted thrombin time in platelet-poor plasma collected after thrombosis inductions. They induced a dermatan sulfate-like activity in the plasma of treated rats, as measured by heparin cofactor II-mediated thrombin inhibition assay. These data suggest that these xylosides are potent arterial antithrombotic agents after single or repetitive oral administrations. beta-D xylosides constitute a very promising therapeutic class of orally active antithrombotic drugs.