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

Ana Mf Tovar,Lisandra Ac Teixeira,Maurilo Leite,Jocemir R Lugon,Paulo As Mourão,Simone M Rembold

doi:10.1186/1756-0500-6-230

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.

Highlights

Heparins from porcine and bovine intestinal mucosa differ in their structure and in their effects on coagulation, thrombosis and bleeding
The 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
Our results indicate that reduced anticoagulant activities and higher concentrations, on weight basis, were achieved in the plasma of patients under dialysis using bovine instead of porcine heparin

Summary

Introduction

Heparins from porcine and bovine intestinal mucosa differ in their structure and in their effects on coagulation, thrombosis and bleeding. Heparin has been used for more than 50 years to treat and prevent thrombosis. In the past heparin from bovine lung was extensively used until its replacement by porcine heparin. More recently this drug has been extracted from bovine intestine and sometime the debate is confusing referring to “bovine” heparin as the same drug, irrespectively of the tissue of origin (lung or intestine)

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