Protamines

7 Drugs and Other Agents Used in Anesthesia and Surgery 

Intradermal tests on 32 patients with protamine 1 pg/ml were positive in four (13 %) despite the absence of a clinical reaction in all of the patients. This 87 % specificity for protamine was almost the same as the 91 % specificity obtained with intradermal saline. At a concentration of 10 pg/ ml, intradermal protamine injections were positive in ten (31 %) of the patients. Tests for protamine-reactive IgE and IgG semm antibodies were positive in 46-54 % and 1(X) % of patients, respectively. These high incidences of falsepositive reactions demonstrated the nnsnitabiUty of skin and antibody tests for screening patients before administration of protanfine. 

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C22H34O2. A straight-chain fatty acid with 5 double bonds. A major component of fish oils and the oils of marine animals, clupeine Protamine class protein found in the sperm and testicles of the herring. On hydrolysis it gives about 90% of argenine. 

CfiHqNaO . M.p. 277 C. The naturally occurring substance is laevorotatory. Histidine is one of the basic amino-acids occurring in the hydrolysis products of proteins, and particularly of the basic proteins, the protamines and histones. It is an essential constituent of the food of animals. 

H2N-CH2 [CH2j3.CH(NH2) COOH. Colourless needles, m.p. 224 C (decomp.), very soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol. L-(-H)-Lysine is one of the basic amino-acids occurring in particularly large quantities in the protamine and histone classes of proteins. It is an essential amino-acid, which cannot be synthesized by the body and must be present in the food for proper growth. It can be manufactured by various fermentation processes or by synthesis. 

Protamines. Strongly basic, low mol. wt. proteins which contain high levels of arginine, but no sulphur-containing amino-acids. They are soluble proteins, associated with nucleic acids and are obtained in large quantity from fish spermatozoa. 

Nucleoproieins. The prosthetic group of the nucleoproteins is nucleic acid, often linked through salt linkages with protamines or histones. The nucleoproteins are present in the nuclei of all cells. Chromasomes are largely nucleoproteins and some plant viruses and bacteriophages have been shown to be pure nucleoproteins. See also histones. 

Allen M J, Hud N V, Balooch M, Tench R J, Siekhaus W J and Balhorn R 1992 Tip-radius-induced artifacts in AFM images of protamine-complexed DMA fibers Ultramicroscopy 42-A4 1095... 

NPH Isophane Human Insulin Suspension. NPH isophane insulin, also called Humulin N, Insulatard NPH Human, or Novolin N is an intermediate-acting form of human insulin produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Mixtures Humulin 70/30 and Novolin 70/30 contain 70% NPH isophane and 30% regular, whereas Humulin 50/50 contains 50% NPH isophane and 50% regular. It is adrninistered subcutaneously and should not be given intravenously. Absorption is delayed because the insulin is conjugated with protamine in a complex of reduced isoelectric solubiUty. Therapeutically, this preparation is probably comparable to purified porcine NPH insulin. However, human NPH insulin may have a slightly shorter duration of action than comparable purified porcine products. 

Protamine kinase (from rainbow trout testes) [37278-10-7] [EC 2.7.1.70]. Partial purification by hydoxylapatite chromatography followed by biospecific chromatography on nucleotide coupled Sepharose 4B (the nucleotide was 8-(6-aminohexyl)amine coupled cyclic-AMP). [Jergil et al. Biochem J139 441 1974.]... 

Insulin finished product 2.0% (nonprotamine) 3.0% (protamine containing)... 

Then 0.14 g of salmiridine sulfate dissolved in water is added, while shaking. Salmiridine is a protamine derived from the sperm of Salmo irideus Gibbons, or rainbow trout, Sal-miridine insulin (a protamine-insulin) containing zinc is promptly precipitated. Enough water is now added to make a total of one liter, and the whole is shaken again. After standing for about an hour, the precipitated salmiridine-insulin is found to have become crystalline. 

This crystalline salmiridine-insulin can be removed if desired, as by filtration but it is not necessary to do that, as the suspension of crystalline salmiridine-insulin may be preserved as thus prepared, and dispensed and used (in the same manner as known preparations of protamine insulin and protamine-zinc-insulin are used) in the original suspending medium in which it is formed. 

Protamine sulfate is a mixture of basic polypeptides isolated from salmon sperm that is used to neutralize heparin in vitro or in vivo. 

Protamine sulfate can result in severe hypotension and anaphylactic reaction. When administering protamine sulfate, the nurse should make sure that resuscitation equipment is readily available. 

Insulin is ordered by die generic name (insulin zinc suspension, extended) or the trade (brand) name (Humulin U) (see the Summary Drug Table Insulin Preparations). The nurse must never substitute one brand of insulin for anodier unless the substitution is approved by the health care provider because some patients may be sensitive to changes in brands of insulin. In addition, it is important never to substitute one type of insulin for anodier. For example, do not use insulin zinc suspension instead of die prescribed protamine zinc insulin. 

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