Structural and functional analyses of bovine and porcine intestinal heparins confirm they are different drugs

•Anticoagulant heparins from porcine and bovine intestine are different drugs.•This conclusion was based on structural and functional analysis of pharmaceutical-grade heparins obtained from these two sources.•Bovine heparin is more heterogeneous and less sulfated than porcine heparin.•Heparins from both sources are made of a similar mixture of fractions, however with unequal proportions.•High anticoagulant composites from bovine origin, similar to porcine counterparts, can be properly obtained.

Anticoagulant heparins are mostly obtained from porcine intestine. Occasionally they are also obtained from bovine intestine. Structural and functional analyses of pharmaceutical-grade heparins from these two sources using multiple methods such as NMR spectroscopy, in vitro and in vivo assays of the anticoagulant, antithrombotic and bleeding effects, complemented by fractionation on anion exchange chromatography, confirm they are different drugs. Although bovine heparin is more heterogeneous and less sulfated, heparins from both sources are overall made of a similar mixture of fractions, however with different proportions. Therefore, high-anticoagulant composites from bovine origin, similar to porcine counterparts, can be properly obtained.