Possible Interaction: Heparin and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

“ Heparin traps plasma ACTH , promoting the formation of aggregates with apparent high molecular weight as shown by chromatography on Sephadex G 50 fine columns.”

“In the presence of heparin, ACTH has the greatest stimulating effect, being 1.6-fold and 3.3-fold more potent than polyarginine and polylysine, respectively.”

“In conclusion, the reported data clearly demonstrated firstly that heparin added to rat blood traps ACTH molecules, promoting the formation of aggregates with apparent height molecular weight; secondly that heparin interferes with the direct radioimmunoassay of ACTH in the plasma.”

“The degradation of ACTH was greater in the presence of heparin , and plasma ACTH concentration was understimated for low blood levels of heparin (5 UI/ml or less) and in contrast overestimated for high ones (25 or 50 UI/ml).”

“This suggests that ACTH stimulates release of heparin.”

“AVeissbecker and Schroter (1954) reported that small doses of heparin blocked the stress-producing effects of ACTH in man, but had no effect on the response to epinephrine or cortisone.”

“However, Esellier, Jeanneret and Schoch (1954) could not block the eosinopenia in man following ACTH when either small or large doses of heparin were administered.”

“IT WAS reported by Godlowski (1951, 1952) that heparin in large doses blocked the eosinopenic action of epinephrine, ACTH and cortisone in humans and in dogs.”