RUSSELL VIPER VENOM AS A MEANS FOR FOLLOWING THE ANTICOAGULANT ACTION OF HEPARIN

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Abstract
The time required for recalcified plasma to show the first signs of fibrin formation in the presence of Russell viper venom (a clotting accelerator) has been designated as the R.V. time and is frequently used in place of the prothrombin time. It was found that R.V. times could be conveniently used to follow the anticoagulant action of he-parin under circumstances in which the prothrombin times were unaffected. By means of the R.V. times it was found that the anticoagulant action of heparin reached a peak of maximum intensity almost immediately from which it diminished in hyperbola-like fashion as time progressed. Graded doses of heparin produced families of hyperbolas arranged in position according to the dose. The constants of these hyperbolas could be plotted against the dose of heparin to form good dosage-response curves.