Talk:Heparin

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Contents 1 clarification 2 Delete trade names 3 Image 4 Fraxiparin 5 Heparin's inhibiton of PCR? 6 Structure 7 Structure part 2 8 heparin 9 GA review 10 History 11 Highest Negative Charge Density 12 Toxic heparin

[edit] clarification

Can someone explain to me (i.e. incorporate into the article) why Heparin gel (topical) is sometimes used to treat sports injuries--like sprains, strains, bruises, etc? I can't find anything explaining this, but I have heard people say that it is useful, and here in Germany you can buy "Heparin sport-Gel" from Ratiopharm. Obviously some people think Herparin is effective for things other than blood clots, but I can't find information about this online. I just thought this would be a good addition to the "Other uses" section. 24. February 2006

Considering what the article says, I'd say that the heparin contained in the gel either diffuse through the skin to the injury site, and block the inflammatory response by binding to the inflamatory response enhancer that histamine is. Nikoo

[edit] Delete trade names

I've never heard of heparin referred to by its trade name. Perhaps delete the brand names? Andrew73 19:33, 22 September 2005 (UTC).

I deleted the brand names...they seem to clutter the article! Andrew73 16:19, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Image

On PubChem[1] an image is available but it's not clear where the repeat moieties connect to. Perhaps a chemist may be able to help. JFW | T@lk 20:55, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Fraxiparin

Please elaborate on fraxiparin, another medicine with function similar to heparin. Thanks borgx ^(talk) 04:13, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

Fraxiparin is one of the low molecular weight heparins. Andrew73 02:55, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Heparin's inhibiton of PCR?

What is the mechanism of heparin's purported inhibition of PCR? Is the molecule specific for Taq? For DNA? Does it non-specifically muck things up due to steric hindrance? Does anyone actually reject specimens received in heparin? If not, what is the amplification failure rate for heparinized specimens? Thanks

This may be due to a biochemical property of the compound, that isn't described here : the fact that heparin has typical chemical properties of a nucleic acid backbone analog (glucose instead of ribose, and sulfate instead of phosphate). Heparin is therefore routinely used as a non-specific competitor in RNA/DNA protein binding experiments such as EMSA, since proteins can recognize nucleic acids through specific interactions with the bases, and non-specific, but sometimes important, interactions with the sugar-phosphate backbone.You're welcome ;-) Nikoo

[edit] Structure

I'm don't think the IUPAC name matches the disacchride structure I put up or that the IUPAC name here is very helpful. Take the first line of the IUPAC name below 6- [5- acetylamino- 4,6- dihydroxy-2- I can't work out where the 6- comes from or were the acetylamino group is. Maybe whoever put up the IUPAC name would like to comment? Maybe IUPAC names should only be given when a monosacchride is being described. Then for large polymers such as heparin replace the IUPAC name with a description of the monomers that are joined together, referencing the monosacchrides articles. This would de-clutter things considerably.

[edit] Structure part 2

I got sick of looking at that great long WRONG IUPAC name. I know it came from the pubchem reference 772 but its wrong there as well and so is part of their description in the MeSH section. PubChem got the structure from BioCyc and they've now changed their structure and description in the database but it'll take a few months to show up on line. PubChem have been ignoring me but maybe when BioCyc changes PubChem will as well! Does anyone out there want the IUPAC name back?

The biocyc change now shows up on line, see here, still no luck on changing the pubchem entry.

[edit] heparin

can someone help to undarstand if heparin is oxidable by TOC analysis or if there's a chem method to detect heparin at a low conc.? Partial heparin oxidation, is used in the manufacture of parnaparin and ardeparin (see low molecular weight heparin). Maybe a "complete" oxidation would allow a TOC analysis. How low is a low conc? and is your sample a pure heparin sample or does it contain other material e.g. proteins. We should discuss this on my talk page

[edit] GA review

Excellent figures and clear text. However, more references would be an improvement, particularly in the medical sections. TimVickers 16:10, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] History

I believe you are wrong saying that scientist were looking for an anticoagulant. Jay McLean, a PhD under Howell, found what he thought was a phospholipid based on the way he had isolated it [1]. Originally he had called this substance cephalin [2]. He actually was looking for a procoagulant in the (dog) liver, but when he had done experiments he found that an extract of dog liver prolonged the time required for plasma to clot ex vivo [3]. Apart from this, your article aided me a lot for my essay on heparin, thanks for that. Tristan Groot 15:51, 24 Octobre 2006 (The Netherlands)

[1]: Petitou, M., Boeckel, C.A.A. van, Chemical Synthesis of Heparin Fragments and Analogues, Progress in the Chemistry of Organic Natural Products, 60, pp.143 (1992).
[2]: McLean, J., The Thromboplastic Action of Cephalin, American Journal of Physiology, 41, pp.250 (1916).
[3]: Hirsh, J., Heparin, New English Journal of Medicine, 324(22), pp.1565 (1991) in Arbit, E., Oral heparin, status review, Thormbosis Journal, 4, pp.6 (2006).

[edit] Highest Negative Charge Density

Heparin has the highest negative charge density of any known biological molecule. This helps it in its very strong electrostatic interaction with thrombin (in association with antithrombin). (Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, 4th Ed.). Thought it would be worth mentioning in the article.TwoOars 01:01, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Toxic heparin

I'm confused about the latest edit. My references say heparin entered clinical trials in 1935, but the latest edit tell us that heparin preparations were toxic until 1937 when connaught started producing non-toxic heparin preparations. What was being used in the clincal trials in 1935 and 1936, toxic heparin !!! K.murphy 11:13, 27 March 2007 (UTC)