Heparinoid

Heparinoids are glycosaminoglycans which are chemically and pharmacologically related to heparin. They include oligosaccharides and sulfated polysaccharides of plant, animal, or synthetic origin. Multiple scientific studies have been conducted on heparinoids.

Heparinoids, like heparin, act by interacting with heparin binding proteins, generally through ionic interactions or hydrogen bonding. Some examples of heparin binding proteins include antithrombin III. It is thought that much protein interaction with heparin is not direct, and instead heparin binding protein actually interact with glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains or mucins bound to the heparin polymer, so it is possible that heparinoids interact with these proteins in a similar way, acquiring GAG side chains in vivo. One counterexample is the protein chymase, which directly binds to heparin.