Bovine and porcine heparins: different drugs with similar effects on human haemodialysis

Abstract

BackgroundHeparins from porcine and bovine intestinal mucosa differ in their structure and also in their effects on coagulation, thrombosis and bleeding. However, they are used as undistinguishable drugs.MethodsWe compared bovine and porcine intestinal heparin administered to patients undergoing a particular protocol of haemodialysis. We compared plasma concentrations of these two drugs and also evaluated how they affect patients and the dialyzer used.ResultsCompared with porcine heparin, bovine heparin achieved only 76% of the maximum plasma concentration as IU mL-1. This observation is consistent with the activities observed in the respective pharmaceutical preparations. When the plasma concentrations were expressed on weight basis, bovine heparin achieved a maximum concentration 1.5 fold higher than porcine heparin. The reduced anticoagulant activity and higher concentration, on weight basis, achieved in the plasma of patients under dialysis using bovine instead of porcine heparin did not affect significantly the patients or the dialyzer used. The heparin dose is still in a range, which confers security and safety to the patients.DiscussionDespite no apparent difference between bovine and porcine intestinal heparins in the haemodialysis practice, these two types of heparins should be used as distinct drugs due to their differences in structure and biological effects.ConclusionsThe reduced anticoagulant activity achieved in the plasma of patients under dialysis using bovine instead of porcine heparin did not affect significantly the patients or the dialyzer.

Pharmacology of Heparin and Related Drugs

“…It is well known that not all heparin preparations are the same, because in addition to species differences, there are also structural and activity disparities between tissue sources. It is not clear whether bovine and porcine heparins behave similarly in clinical settings, and there have been reports that bovine heparin may not be as effective and may also have induced more bleeding events than porcine heparin (Aquino et al, 2010;Tovar et al, 2013;Santos et al, 2014). Therefore, there will be interest in the comparison of the structure and function relationship of bovine and porcine heparin once bovine heparin is reintroduced.…”

Structural and functional analyses of bovine and porcine intestinal heparins confirm they are different drugs

“…Patients achieved only 78% of the plasma concentration (as IU/ml) when shifted from porcine to bovine heparin (Fig. 3i) [17]. This result could be interpreted as a lower patient response to bovine compared with Drug Discovery Today Volume 19, Number 11 November 2014 REVIEWS described [13,14].…”

“…Note the clear functional differences between bovine and porcine intestinal mucosa heparins. Modified, with permission, from [15][16][17].…”

“…See the distinct chemical shift patterns of anomeric proton and I5 resonances in bovine and porcine heparins according to their unequal structural compositions. Modified, with permission, from[17].…”

Legislação Brasileira Aplicada À Produção Do Insumo Farmacêutico Ativo Heparina

“…Grande parte da heparina utilizada é isolada da mucosa intestinal de suínos, e em menor quantidade do tecido pulmonar bovino (AQUINO et al, 2010;TOVAR et al, 2013;SANTOS et al, 2014). O processo de isolamento envolve hidrólise da mucosa seguida pela extração de heparina, utilizando enzimas proteolíticas sob aquecimento, seguida pela adsorção dos poliânions sulfatados para uma resina de troca iônica, sendo estes em seguida recuperados.…”