Molecular weight determination of commercial heparin sodium USP and its sterile solutions.

A liquid chromatographic assay for the characterization of heparin sodium USP, and heparin sterile solutions was developed. The method employs size exclusion chromatography and computer-based data collection and manipulation. An examination of commercially available heparin showed only minor differences between the heparins extracted from beef lung and porcine intestinal mucosa. The molecular weight averages of the material and its sterile solutions were 9000-12,000 daltons. A correlation was observed between average molecular weight and anticoagulant activity for the heparin sodium samples examined.