Heme Arginate

Heme arginate (or haem arginate) is a compound of heme and arginine used in the treatment of acute porphyrias. This heme product is only available outside the United States, where the equivalent is hematin.

Heme arginate is a heme compound, whereby L-arginine is added to prevent rapid degradation. It is given intravenously, and its action of mechanism is to reduce the overproduction of δ-aminolevulinic acid, which can cause the acute symptoms in an attack of the acute porphyrias.