Summary
Five commercially available German Urokinase (UK) preparations were examined for purity, fibrinolytic activity, and molecular weight composition. With the exception of one preparation (B) all samples showed comparable fibrinolytic activity (91-107% of the activity declared). Preparations A, D, and E contained almost exclusively high-molecular-weight UK (HMW-UK), i.e., 82-86%. However, preparation C (from kidney tissue cultures) contained 95% of low-molecular-weight-UK (LMW-UK), and sample B consisted of nearly equal amounts of both HMW-UK and LMW-UK (47:53). Purity criteria (coagulative and lysozyme activity, endotoxin content, protease activity, HBS antigen) were fulfilled by preparation E, and, with certain restrictions, also by preparations A and C.
Keywords
Urokinase preparations - Quality control - High and low molecular weight urokinase - Fibrinolytic activity