Vitamin K2

In 1929, Daim discovered that there are two kinds of vitamin K in nature, K1 and K2, both of which are naphthoquinone compounds. Vitamin K2 is a naturally occurring vitamin containing the basic structure of menaquinone and has anti-bleeding effects, yellow crystal or oily liquid at room temperature, insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents and vegetable oils, heat-resistant, but easy to be damaged by light. It can promote the synthesis of prothrombin in the liver and regulate the synthesis of coagulation factors VII., IX., and X., thereby accelerating blood clotting. In addition, it plays an important role in glucose phosphorylation within cells. In some bacteria (such as mycobacteria), it can be used as a component of the respiratory chain. After deficiency, the clotting time is prolonged, so when there is trauma, bleeding will not stop. Bacteria in the intestines of humans and animals can be synthesized, so it is generally not easy to get deficiency. It is abundant in liver, fish, meat, and leafy greens such as cabbage and spinach. This product can be synthesized by microorganisms, including animal intestinal bacteria, and can also be extracted from spoilage fishmeal. Vitamin K is physiologically associated with the effect of blood clotting. Vitamin K is named after the first letter of Koagulation to mean "blood clotting." Natural vitamin K has two groups of compounds, they are chlorophyllin quinone (vitamin K1) and methylnaquinone (vitamin K2), the former is found in green leafy plants, and the latter is synthesized by bacteria. The synthetic compound menaquinone, i.e. α-methyl-1,4 naphthoquinone called vitamin K3, is a cyclic compound that is the basic structure of the natural vitamin K family, and its biological activity is higher than that of vitamin K1 and K2. Vitamin K is stable to heat, but it is easily destroyed by light and alkali, and it needs to be protected from light when storing.