phylloquinone Biochem.
(fɪləʊˈkwɪnəʊn)
[ad. G. phyllochinon (Karrer & Geiger, at the suggestion of H. Dam, in Helv. Chim. Acta (1939) XXII. 946), f. Gr. ϕύλλον leaf + G. chinon quinone (cf. china3 2).]
Vitamin K1, a yellow, fat-soluble oil that is present in green leafy vegetables and is important in blood clotting; 2-methyl-3-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, C31H46O2.
| 1939 Chem. Abstr. XXXIII. 8191 The light yellow vitamin K1 from alfalfa, named by Dam..‘α-phylloquinone’, (I) crystallizes at low temp. 1953 Fruton & Simmonds Gen. Biochem. xxxviii. 908 Vitamin K2 (2-methyl-3-difarnesyl-1,4-naphthoquinone), which is formed by some bacteria.., differs from phylloquinone only in the substituent in the 3 position of the naphthoquinone ring. 1970 R. W. McGilvery Biochem. xxvi. 651 (caption) Phylloquinones from plants are absorbed to some extent as such, and they have vitamin K activity. However, the side chain is removed from most of the ingested compounds by intestinal bacteria; the resultant menadione is absorbed and a new side chain is constructed to create menaquinone, the principal form of vitamin K found in animals. 1972 Materials & Technol. V. xix. 692 Menadione, phylloquinone and the menaquinones can all be obtained synthetically, but only menadione is produced in any quantity. |