Heparin: 100 years of pleiotropic effects

Heparin is a glycosaminoglycan with anticoagulant properties and antiinflammatory effects. The discovery of heparin approaches its 100th year and its antiinflammatory properties still draws much attention and anticipation to new possibilities of use and the likelihood of developing heparin-like drugs that lacked the anticoagulation effects. It is known that heparins limit the embolization and the extension of the thrombus, although they do not promote its complete lysis in most cases. The complexity and pleiotropic characteristics of these glycosaminoglycans still challenge science, to the point in which approaches hitherto unusual appear repeatedly in the literature. New indications, accompanied by longtime consecrated others, dismantle the idea of an outdated medication and create high expectations for the near future. The objective of this review is to analyze the pleiotropic effects of heparin and its use in several diseases, highlighting its safety and effectiveness.