Characterization of an extract obtained from human umbilical cord rich in glucosaminoglycans

Resumen

The objective of the present paper was the characterization of an extract obtained from human umbilical cord which may be composed by glucosaminoglycans (GAG) and mainly hyaluronic acid sodium salt. This acid is interesting due to its multiple applications in different areas, mainly as a possible raw material for the production of different pharmaceutical products..Thus, the extract was characterized by chemical methods as uronic acid's determination by the Blumer methods, reductive sugar by the 2,4-dinitrophenols, protein by the Bradfor techniques and the Elson Morgan test. However, the liquid chromatography and physicochemical techniques were
used in order to compare the hyaluronic sodium salt present with a reference sponsor, because those methods are the most used as characterization techniques of glucosaminoglycans. The molecular weight determination was obtained by exclusion molecular test using Sephacryl S 400 gel with an media molecular weight around of 500-800 kDa which may be compared to the kinematics viscosity in centistokes measured by a capillary viscometer. Protein and nucleotide determination were done by an absorption spectrophotometry reading at 280 and 254 nm . The results showed that the extract contains hyaluronic acid sodium salt and also small  quantities of peptides and other GAG were not present. This product may be used as a reference substance in different pharmaceutical dosage forms.