Influence of Natural Humic Acids and Synthetic Phenolic Polymers on Haemostasis

Abstract

Naturally occurring humic acids and synthetically prepared phenolic polymers belong to the group of polyanions. One of these compounds is heparin, which is well-known in human medicine for a long time already for being useful as directly acting anticoagulant substance (Verstraete and Machin 1980). Heparin prevents not only proliferation of already existing thrombi but also formation of new thrombi (Egbring 1983). Furthermore, heparin contributes to the release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) from the endothelial cells of the vessel wall (Markwardt and Klöcking 1977), which plays an important role in dissolving thrombi. That prompted the investigation of naturally occurring humic acids as well as synthetic phenolic polymers with regard to their influence on plasminogen activator release and their anticoagulant effect.