On the Color Reaction for Vitamin K

Abstract

Communications to the Editor 1613 In our previous communication (¡oc. cit.) we gave an extinction coefficient of = 385 at 248 niju for vitamin Ki but since that time a value of 540 has been obtained. The analyses of both preparations indicated that each was analytically pure. Our first value was probably due to instability of the vitamin on storage and toward light. For this reason we are not at present certain that 540 is the maximum value attainable. In this same communication line 38 column 1 should read "all have a potency of about 1000 units per mg." instead of, "all have potency of about 100 units per mg."Biochemistry Department

Vitamin K.

“…With the exception of 2,3dimethyl-1 ,4-naphthoquinone, activity began to appear as the alkyl groups were increased in size beyond six to eight carbon atoms, became appreciable in the 2-methyl-3-cinnamyl (ten carbons) and 2-methyl-3geranyl (eleven carbons) compounds, and reached a peak in vitamin K1 (twenty-one carbons) and vitamin K2 (thirty-one carbons), Fernholz et al (73) pointed out that the inactivity of 2-n-octadecyl, 2-methyl-3-noctadecyl, and similar long-chain substituted 1 4-naphthoquinones does not fit into this picture. From his study of a series of 2 3-dialkyl-1 ) 4-naphthoquinones, Fieser (78) reported a certain specificity in structure associated with antihemorrhagic activity.…”

“…On a molecular basis, sodium 1 ,4-naphthohydroquinone disulfuric acid ester is one-third as active as the quinone itself. The method of Barbot (34) has been used by Fernholz et al (73) and by Karrer et al (118) for the production of p-substituted tetralins. On the other hand, Ansbacher (32) reports that it is less active than the parent quinone or hydroquinone.…”

“…The results of partition between various solvents and of distillation had likewise proved disappointing. As a result, investigators had turned to the possibility of chromatographic adsorption (37,63,74,120,163) as a means of purification. The method developed by Binkley et at.…”

Determination and stability of menadione**Dept. of Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois, Chicago

“…In 1935 Hermann (5) and Hermann and Kassowitz (6) reported a marked fall of blood sugar in animals and patients following the application of an insulin salve to the skin. Major (7) in 1935 and 1936 (8, 9) concluded that under proper conditions insulin could be…”

“…Of the several procedures (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) for the estimation of menadione the method of Menotti (10) seems to be the most promising one. The determination is based on the sensitive color test for 2-methyl-l,4-naphthaquinone and related substances as reported by Novelli (9).…”