Albumin human is a purified form of human serum albumin used to replace lost albumin in patients with hypoalbuminemia, to treat hypovolemia and ascites, and as a part of some diagnostic imaging kits. Human serum albumin is the primary protein present in human blood plasma.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 4 references
The main function of albumin results from its contribution to plasma colloid oncotic pressure and transport function.
Albumin stabilizes circulating blood volume and carries hormones, enzymes, medicines, and toxins. Other physiological functions include antioxidant properties, free radical scavenging, in addition to maintenance capillary membrane integrity.
Exogenously administered albumin increases the oncotic pressure of the intravascular system, moving fluids from the interstitial space, thereby decreasing edema and increasing the circulating blood volume. The increase in volume reduces the concentration and viscosity of blood in patients with decreased circulating blood volume while maintaining cardiac output in shock. In dehydrated patients, negligible effects exist on circulating blood volume. In addition to the above albumin replaces protein in patients with hypoproteinemia until the cause of the deficiency can be determined.
This drug has thousands of endogenous and exogenous targets. Human albumin also binds and carries a plethora of hydrophobic molecules, such as endogenous (i.e., cholesterol, fatty acids, bilirubin, thyroxine) or exogenous substances (for example, drugs and toxins), transition metal ions, as well as gas (nitric oxide NO), with resulting implications for their solubilisation, transport, metabolism, and detoxification.
- Primary indication
- Albuminex solution is indicated for adults and children for hypovolemia, ascites, hypoalbuminemia including from burns, acute nephrosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome and cardipulmonary bypass.Curator reviewed · 18 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C2936H4624N786O889S41 · 66472.2 Da
- First approval
- Canada, 1999 · United States, 1942
- Also known as
- Albumin (human) · Albumin, blood · Albumin, human · Albumin, human-kjda · Human albumin
- Brand names
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of July 17, 2026
Which other approved drugs treat the same conditions as Albumin human, and which companies have late-stage candidates in those indications?
Create a free account or log in to explore the full data card.
Create Account