Heparin Sodium

CAS No:	9041-08-01
EINECS No:	232-681-7
Synonyms:	Glycosaminoglycan heparin, heparin sodium salt, heparin sodium salt from porcine intestinal mucosa, heparin sulfate, sodium heparin

Product Summary

Heparin sodium is a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan derived from animal tissue, with strong anticoagulant properties primarily through antithrombin III activation. Besides its clinical use in thrombosis prevention, it is widely applied in biomedical research, particularly in coagulation biology, drug delivery, angiogenesis inhibition, and tissue engineering.

Function

Heparin sodium acts as a potent anticoagulant -— prevents blood clot formation. It also possesses anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative (in vascular smooth muscle cells), potential antiviral, and antiangiogenic effects.

Mechanism of Action

The main target of heparin sodium is enhancing activity of antithrombin III (AT-III), which results in:

Inhibition of thrombin (factor IIa) and factor Xa, disrupting the coagulation cascade.
Inactivation of other serine proteases involved in blood clotting.

Heparin does not lyse clots. It prevents new clot formation or extension of existing clots.

Applications in Scientific Research

Anticoagulation studies: Model compound for evaluating anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, or GAG-based drug delivery.
Cell biology:
- Prevents coagulation in blood sample collection.
- Maintains viability of blood-derived cells (e.g., PBMCs).
Viral inhibition: Blocks interaction between viral particles and host cell surface proteoglycans (e.g., in HIV or SARS-CoV-2 studies).
Tissue engineering : Incorporated into hydrogels or scaffolds for sustained release of growth factors (e.g., FGF, VEGF).
Cancer research: Inhibits metastasis, angiogenesis, and tumor progression via heparanase and selectin pathways.

Packaging & Storage

Sources: porcine intestinal mucosa
White to off-white lyophilized powder
Store in an airtight container at room temperature

References

Oduah EI, et al. 2016: Heparin: past, present, and future, Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 9(3):38.
Linhardt RJ, et al. 2007: Enzymatic synthesis of glycosaminoglycan heparin, Semin Thromb Hemost. 33(5):453–65.
Miao Q, et al. 2022: Preparation, anticoagulant and antioxidant properties of glucosamine-heparin salt, Mar Drugs. 20(10):646.
Sieme D, et al. 2022: Metal binding to sodium heparin monitored by quadrupolar NMR, Int J Mol Sci. 23(21):13185.
Severin IC, et al. 2019: Glycosaminoglycan analogs as a novel anti-inflammatory strategy, Front Immunol. 3:293.
Demeter F, et al. 2024: Synthesis and biological profiling of seven heparin and heparan sulphate analogue trisaccharides, Biomolecules. 14(9):1052.
Lima M, et al. 2017: New applications of heparin and other glycosaminoglycans, Molecules. 22(5):749.
Hogwood J, et al. 2023: Pharmacology of heparin and related drugs: An update, Pharmacol Rev. 75(2):328-79.
Zang L, et al. 2022: Not just anticoagulation—new and old applications of heparin, Molecules. 27(20):6968.
Onishi A, et al. 2016: Heparin and anticoagulation, Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 21(7):1372-92.
Wang P, et al. 1984: Heparin: An old drug for new clinical applications, Carbohydr Polym. 295:119818.
Derbalah A, et al. 2019: Revisiting the pharmacology of unfractionated heparin, Clin Pharmacokinet. 58(8):1015-28.