CS (Mw = 94.8 kDa, with polydispersity index of 3.26 and
deacetylation degree of 79.7%), was purchased from Vanson,
Inc. (Redmond, WA, USA). Xa was obtained from
BioChemika (viscosity, 1% (w/v) solution in water
1160 cPs), degree of substitution per side chain of 0.73 and
0.75 for acetate and pyruvate groups, respectively, as
determined by proton NMR 1H). Anhydrous THP was purchased
from Sigma–Aldrich. All the other materials and
reagents used in this study were of analytical grade of purity