The importance of thrombin inhibition for the expression of the anticoagulant activities of heparin, dermatan sulphate, low molecular weight heparin and pentosan polysulphate

The effects of standard heparin, three low molecular weight derivatives of heparin, dermatan sulphate and pentosan polysulphate on the intrinsic coagulation pathway were compared in order to evaluate the contributions of the anti-factor Xa and anti-thrombin activities to their anticoagulant activities. The anticoagulant potency was measured by the ability of each sulphated polysaccharide to inhibit the generation of thrombin activity in plasma. …