Biological Activity of the Various Vitamin K Forms

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter evaluates the biological activity of several vitamin K forms. The discovery of vitamin K, as well as practically all the early biological work with this vitamin, was based on experimentation. There was little activity in the development of new forms, although other improvements made vitamin K more available and more stable. The chapter describes the development of aqueous suspensions of the fat-soluble phylloquinone for intravenous use and the preparation of stabilized phylloquinone beadlets used as a vitamin K standard. Recently, a new water soluble derivative of menadione, menadione dimethyl pyrimidinol bisulfite, was developed; this compound, which appears to have a higher biological activity than does menadione sodium bisulfite, is discussed in the chapter. The present knowledge of the differences in biological activity of the various forms of vitamin K is based mainly on observation not on a thorough understanding of the underlying metabolic processes. Efforts toward a better understanding of these processes should occupy workers in this field during the years ahead.