THE NORMAL ANTITHROMBIN OF THE BLOOD AND ITS RELATION TO HEPARIN

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Abstract
By mixing a standard potent soln. of thrombin with defibrinated plasma, the thrombic activity decreases at a rate proportionate to the amt. of plasma added. Serum albumin is the constituent that appears to be responsible for the neutralization of thrombin. The globulin fraction has little ability to inactivate thrombin. Heparin itself is not an antithrombin but becomes a powerful anticoagulant when mixed with albumin. With globulin no such effect occurs. Plasma or albumin heated to 67[degree] C. loses its ability to neutralize thrombin, or to react with heparin to form the anticoagulant. Albumin is evidently the normal antithrombin of the blood and since its affinity for thrombin is less than that of fibrinogen, it does not influence the normal coagulation of blood. The action of heparin depends on its ability to intensify the antithrombic power of albumin.

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