The Metachromatic Activity of Urine Following the Injection of Heparin

Abstract

Heparin was injected in man, dog, rabbit and sheep and the metachromatic activity (MA) of the urine measured directly or after precipitation with benzidine. The presence and amount of MA in the urine depended on route, size and time relations of the injection, but generally was much less than the MA of the heparin injected. An excretion product, uroheparin, has been described. It is concluded that following injection heparin may be ( a ) destroyed by heparinase, ( b ) degraded to uroheparin or ( c ) excreted unchanged. Following ( b ) or ( c ) metachromatic activity is found in the urine.

Biocolloids of Urine in Health and in Calculous Disease. Ii. Electrophoretic and Biochemical Studies of a Mucoprotein Insoluble in Molar Sodium Chloride 1

“…The Astrop fraction of urine (24) and the metachromatic urinary "heparin" (25), prepared by methods which involve heating with ammonia, are certain to contain variable quantities of this mucoprotein or its alkaline degradation products, unless the NaClinsoluble residue is removed prior to heating and treatment at pH 12 or more.…”

Duration of Anticoagulant Effect in Relation to Urinary Excretion of Dextran Sulphate

“…In the case of heparin it has been suggested that inactivation is effected by an enzyme "heparinase" (Jaques, 1940). However, this enzyme has been isolated only from rabbit liver.…”

“…However, this enzyme has been isolated only from rabbit liver. An attempt to obtain similar material from beef liver was unsuccessful (Jaques and Keeri-Szanto, 1952). The enzyme from rabbit liver was found to show lack of specificity in that, in addition to acting upon heparin derived from various species, certain synthetic polysaccharides were also degraded.…”

The Excretion of Glucuronic Acid and of Acid Mucopolysaccharides in Normal Human Urine 1

“…The method of Astrup (2) was followed closely. 3 In patients eating diets which impose rigid sodium restriction, it has been found necessary to add additional salts to the urine prior to using benzidine HCI in order to obtain maximal precipitation of acid mucopolysaccharides. For the sake of uniformity, this step has been 3 By this method, not less than 80 per cent of added heparin (300 mcg.…”