A heparin analogue with specific action on antithrombin III.

The effects of heparin and a semi-synthetic heparin analogue were compared in vivo and in vitro. The two drugs differed strikingly in their in-vitro behaviour: unlike heparin, the heparin analogue had little effect in a specific heparin assay or on overall clotting, as measured by the kaolin-cephalin clotting time (K.C.C.T.). When given by parenteral injection, the heparin analogue had almost the same potentiating effect on antithrombin III as mucous heparin, but without a comparable effect on the K.C.C.T. These observations suggest that the heparin analogue may have desirable characteristics for the prophylaxis of venous thrombosis, since it selectively potentiates antithrombin III in vivo while having little effect on overall clotting.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes