The mechanism of the antiaggregating activity of flavonoids was studied in vitro. The activity of fifteen different compounds was tested on platelet aggregation and arachidonic acid metabolism. The effect of flavonoids on platelet adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) levels under basal conditions, as well as after stimulation by prostacyclin (PGI2), was also measured. The glycons of flavonoids in general and the flavanone derivatives that we tested did not affect platelet function. On the other hand, flavone, chrysin , apigenin and phloretin inhibited platelet aggregation by depressing the cyclooxygenase pathway. In addition, flavone, chrysin and apigenin reduced the platelet cyclic AMP response to PGI2. This effect was probably mediated by an inhibition of adenylate cyclase. Myricetin and quercetin, however, increased the PGI2-stimulated rise of platelet cyclic AMP. Both of these flavonoids inhibited primarily lipoxygenase activity. Modification of platelet cyclic AMP metabolism through inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity was found to be the probable mechanism of their antiaggregating effect.