Protamine Sulfate
Protamine is made from the sperm (milt) of salmon and related fish. This is the medicine itself, not an added ingredient. US protamine is made from salmon milt; no plant or synthetic version is approved for this use. Protamine is the medicine used in hospitals to reverse the blood thinner heparin.
What this means
Protamine binds to and neutralizes heparin. There is no non-animal equivalent used for this purpose. Talk to your doctor about your treatment.
- This is given by your medical team, not taken at home; you do not manage it yourself.
- If the source matters to you, tell your care team and ask them to note it.
- Bring this to a scholar you trust; many scholars treat fish-derived sources differently from land-animal sources.
This answered your Protamine question. What about your other medications?
Protamine is animal-derived in the medicine itself, so the answer is the same whoever makes it. Most medications are different: the animal ingredient is a hidden one, like the gelatin in a capsule or a coating, and its source changes depending on which manufacturer made your bottle. The label never says which.
A licensed pharmacist asks the manufacturer of your exact medication, in writing, and reports the stated source. Check one of your medications →