Hirudin P6
Tyrosine-sulfated, O-glycosylated hirudin variant from Hirudo medicinalis — Maxwell 2023 chemical-synthesis study reveals sulfation increases thrombin inhibition ~10-fold.
Mechanistic Evidence Box
Preclinical / mechanistic- Page type
- Compound profile
- Evidence type
- Tyrosine-sulfated, O-glycosylated hirudin variant from Hirudo medicinalis — Maxwell 2023 chemical-synthesis study reveals sulfation increases thrombin inhibition ~10-fold.
- Evidence level
- In vitro
- Drug vs leech
- Synthetic analog
- Safety domains
- Bleeding
Clinical translation limit
Hirudin P6's enhanced in vitro thrombin inhibition does NOT establish clinical efficacy of whole-leech therapy. No FDA-approved hirudin P6 derivative exists; clinical hirudin analogs (lepirudin, desirudin, bivalirudin) lack the P6 post-translational modification pattern.
Molecular Profile
- Category
- Anticoagulant
- Evidence tier
- Preclinical
- Molecular weight
- 7,000 Da
- Source species
- Hirudo medicinalis
- Discovered
- 2023 · Maxwell JWC et al.
Biological Targets
- → thrombin (Factor IIa); enhanced binding via tyrosine sulfation and O-glycosylation
Key Citations
- Maxwell JWC et al. (2023), Acc Chem Res · PMID 37708351
External Resources
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