The biological activity and tissue distribution of 2′,3′-dihydrophylloquinone in rats

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 1622; no. 3; pp. 145 - 150
• Main Authors: Sato, Toshiro, Ozaki, Rumi, Kamo, Shuichi, Hara, Yusuke, Konishi, Satoru, Isobe, Yosuke, Saitoh, Sanshiroh, Harada, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 22.08.2003
• Subjects: 2′,3′-Dihydrophylloquinone; analogs & derivatives; Animals; blood; blood coagulation; Male; Menaquinone; metabolism; osteocalcin; Osteocalcin - blood; pharmacokinetics; pharmacology; Phylloquinone; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tissue Distribution; Vitamin K; Vitamin K 1; Vitamin K 1 - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin K 1 - metabolism; Vitamin K 1 - pharmacokinetics; Vitamin K 1 - pharmacology; warfarin; Phylloquinone; Tissue distribution; 2′,3′-Dihydrophylloquinone; Menaquinone; Vitamin K
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 0006-3002; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4165(03)00135-1

2′,3′-Dihydrophylloquinone (dihydro-K 1) is a hydrogenated form of vitamin K 1 (K 1), which is produced during the hydrogenation of K 1-rich plant oils. In this study, we found that dihydro-K 1 counteracts the sodium warfarin-induced prolonged blood coagulation in rats. This indicates that dihydro-K 1 functions as a cofactor in the posttranslational γ-carboxylation of the vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. It was also found that dihydro-K 1 as well as K 1 inhibits the decreasing effects of warfarin on the serum total osteocalcin level. In rats, dihydro-K 1 is well absorbed and detected in the tissues of the brain, pancreas, kidney, testis, abdominal aorta, liver and femur. K 1 is converted to menaquinone-4 (MK-4) in all the above-mentioned tissues, but dihydro-K 1 is not. The unique characteristic of dihydro-K 1 possessing vitamin K activity and not being converted to MK-4 would be useful in revealing the as yet undetermined physiological function of the conversion of K 1 to MK-4.