2. Academic Validation
  3. Heparin: An old drug for new clinical applications

Heparin: An old drug for new clinical applications

  • Carbohydr Polym. 2022 Nov 1;295:119818. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119818.
Peipei Wang 1,  Lianli Chi 2,  Zhenqing Zhang 3,  Hongmei Zhao 4,  Fuming Zhang 5,  Robert J Linhardt 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Glycobiology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, China.
  • 2 Shandong Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Glycobiology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, China.
  • 3 College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
  • 4 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
  • 5 Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
  • 6 Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 35989029 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119818
Abstract

Heparin, an old but first-line anticoagulant, has been used over a century. It is a heterogeneous, linear, highly sulfated, anionic glycosaminoglycan with a broad distribution in relative molecular weight and charge density. These structural properties allow heparin to selectively interact with multiple proteins, leading to heparin's various pharmacological functions, such as anticoagulant, anti-viral, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. Clinical data suggest that unfractionated heparin or low molecule weight heparin could decrease mortality in COVID-19 patients with sepsis-induced hypercoagulation through the anticoagulant, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activities of these drugs. Thus, the non-anticoagulant activity of heparin has again aroused attention. This review highlights recent advances in the preparation of heparin-derived drugs and clinical research on its non-anticoagulant properties over the past decade, to further the development and utilization of these important drugs.

Keywords

Clinical application; Heparin; Non-anticoagulant bioactivity; Preparation.

Figures