Hepatic concentration of vitamin K active compounds after application of phylloquinone to chickens on a vitamin K deficient or adequate diet

Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1992;62(1):15-20.

Abstract

Liver and serum concentrations of vitamin K active compounds were measured in two groups of (deficient and normal) broilers after administration of phylloquinone 1 mg/kg. Assays were performed by HPLC after extraction and purification of these compounds. The only menaquinone found in the chicken was menaquinone-4. In the deficient group, the chickens exhibited hepatic concentrations of vitamin K1, vitamin K1 epoxide and menaquinone-4 markedly lower than those of the control group. After administration of phylloquinone, vitamin K and vitamin K epoxide levels fell sharply. There is no hepatic storage of vitamin K comparable to that of vitamin A. However, while menaquinone levels were found to be stable in the control group, they rose significantly in the deficient group after vitamin K injection. The question is: is there a transformation of vitamin K into menaquinone and/or is there a preferential utilization of one of the vitamin K active compounds?

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Diet*
  • Female
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Vitamin K / administration & dosage*
  • Vitamin K / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin K / analysis
  • Vitamin K / blood
  • Vitamin K / metabolism
  • Vitamin K 1 / administration & dosage*
  • Vitamin K 1 / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin K 1 / analysis
  • Vitamin K 1 / blood
  • Vitamin K 2 / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin K Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin K Deficiency / metabolism*

Substances

  • Vitamin K 2
  • Vitamin K
  • vitamin K1 oxide
  • menatetrenone
  • Vitamin K 1