Summary. Background: Activation of two receptors for adenosine diphosphate (ADP), P2Y 1 and P2Y 12 , is necessary for ADP-induced platelet aggregation (PA). It is generally believed that the antithrombotic effects of drugs inhibiting P2Y 12 , such as clopidogrel, are uniquely mediated by inhibition of P2Y 12 -dependent PA. However, as P2Y 12 is negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase (AC), its inhibition may also exert antithrombotic effects through the potentiation of prostacyclin (PGI 2 ), which inhibit PA by stimulating AC. Objectives: To test whether inhibition of P2Y 12 potentiates the antiplatelet effects of PGI 2 . Methods: We measured the effects of PGI 2 (0.01-10 lM) on PA of washed human platelets induced by thrombin (0.5 U mL )1 ) in the presence or absence of ARC69931MX (anti-P2Y 12 ) or MRS2500 (anti-P2Y 1 ). Results: PGI 2 inhibited PA in the presence of anti-P2Y 12 , but not in the presence of anti-P2Y 1 or in the absence of inhibitors. In contrast, dibutyrylcyclicAMP inhibited PA both in the presence and absence of anti-P2Y 1 or anti-P2Y 12 . PGI 2 increased platelet cyclicAMP levels only in the absence of thrombin or in the presence of thrombin plus anti-P2Y 12 . Conclusions: PGI 2 did not inhibit PA induced by thrombin, because its effect on AC was prevented by released ADP interacting with P2Y 12 . Anti-P2Y 12 drugs, by rescuing AC activity, potentiate the antiplatelet effect of PGI 2 , which may contribute to their antithrombotic effect.