Sulfated polysaccharides and their anticoagulant activity: A review

Published data on the sulfated polysaccharides of various origins that display an anticoagulant activity are summarized and analyzed. The methods used for producing semisynthetic derivatives are considered. A key role of the polysaccharide structure in the mechanisms of specific interaction with various blood plasma proteinases is discussed. The effects of the content and location of sulfate groups in polysaccharides and their molecular weight on the degree of the studied activity are assessed.