Quality check of heparin injections by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The quality of commercial heparin injections was examined by 400-MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy using several measuring modes. The signals of the N-acetyl protons, as well as the sugar-ring protons, attached to the sulfamino and sulfato group-bearing carbons could be easily distinguished from other proton signals and quantified. Measuring at a high temperature (60 degrees C) enabled clear isolation of the H-5 proton signal in the sulphated iduronic acid residue (Is-5) from other proton signals including that of water. The heparin contents of various heparin injections were estimated by using this signal as an index. However, the signal intensity was not parallel with anticoagulant activity. On the other hand, the N-acetyl proton signal was highly correlated to anticoagulant activity. The present method was also useful for concurrent identification of additives in heparin injections.