Heparin sodium salt from porcine intestinal mucosa

Heparin is a polysaccharide classified as mucopolysaccharide or glycosaminoglycan. In the organism, it is especially formed and stored in mast cells of various mammalian tissues such as liver, lung and mucous membrane. Heparin is mainly isolated from bovine lung, or pig intestine (intestinal mucosa).

Heparin is mainly responsible for delayed blood clotting. It enhances the antithrombin-mediated inactivation of proteases in the clotting pathway. Therefore, it is also often used as an anticoagulant in blood sampling. Thus, it binds to antithrombin III, a naturally occurring plasma protease inhibitor, thereby increasing the rate at which antithrombin III (AT-III) inhibits the coagulation of coagulating proteases, such as factor Xa or thrombin.

Heparin from Genaxxon bioscience is derived from porcine intestinal mucosa (as sodium salt, specific activity >150 units/mg). It is lyophilized and stabilizer-free. Common concentrations are 5000 units/mL. Thus, about 34 mg should be reconstituted with 5mL ultrapure water and then sterile filtered.

In solution, heparin is stable at +2°C to +8°C for up to 2 years, when previously filtered through a 0.2mm sterile filter. CAUTION: Microorganisms rapidly degrade heparin, as they use the polysaccharide side chains as a source of carbon for their own growth.