| abstract |
A mixture of linear oligosaccharides containing different numbers of repeating sulphated disaccharide units derived from L-iduronic acid (IdoA) and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (Gal-NAc) and having the following characteristics (a) a molecular weight in the range of 1600-20000 for 90% or more of the mixture, (b) a sulphur content of 6.0-8.0% by weight, (c) a sulphate/carboxylate ratio of 1.2-1.6, (d) a disulphated disaccharide content of 20-60% by weight of the mono-sulphated disaccharide content, and (e) an antithrombin activity of 20-60 IU/mg. The mixture may be used as an antithrombotic agent and is prepared by depolymerisation of dermatan sulphate by periodate oxidation, followed by borohydride reduction and acid hydrolysis and then ion exchange fractionation. |