Vitamin K3

Henrik Dam discovered vitamin K as the result of experiments he was carrying out to determine whether cholesterol was a dietary essential. Dam (1929) noted a hemorrhagic syndrome in chicks fed diets that had sterols extracted by lipid solvents. He eventually isolated an active antihemorrhagic factor from alfalfa that E. A. Doisy’s research group characterized as 2-methyl-3-phytyl-1,4-naphtoquinone (MacCuordale et al., 1939). Early investigations established that vitamin K deficiency resulted in decreased activity of prothrombin in plasma, which is required for blood clotting. Deficiency of this vitamin, therefore, results in a markedly reduced blood clotting time.

Vitamin K describes a group of lipophilic vitamins that exist naturally in two forms: vitamin K1 (phylloquinone, found in green plants) and vitamin K2 (a group of menaquinones synthesised by bacteria in the intestine). Vitamin K3 (or menadione) is a synthetic form of vitamin K without a side chain.
There are two major natural sources of vitamin K; vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) present in green leaves (especially in alfalfa [lucerne] and vitamin K2 (menaquinone) produced by microbial synthesis (gut flora).
Cereals, oil cakes and root and tuber crops contain only insignificant amounts of vitamin K.
Previously vitamin K activity in finished feed was only supplied by natural feed ingredients, e.g., alfalfa meal. Today it is not only impractical but also too expensive to use natural sources for the vitamin K enhancing of feed. The use of synthetic vitamin K, therefore, became common.

Phylloquinone from feed materials, as well as MSB and MNB used as feed additives, is excreted mainly as menaquinones in faeces and as menadione in small amounts in urine. Thus, the natural plant vitamin K and the chemically synthesised K3 compound add to the same pool of substances in the environment. Considering the huge amount of phylloquinone in nature, the use of MSB and MNB in animal nutrition is not expected to substantially increase the concentration of vitamin K metabolites in the environment. Therefore, no risk to the environment resulting from the use of MSB and MNB in animal nutrition is expected.

Menadione is a naphthoquinone derivative, first synthesized in 1940 and known as vitamin K3. It is the active ingredient of virtually all commercially available vitamin K products used in feed. But Menadione is insoluble in water, irritating to the skin, eyes and respiratory system and it decomposes rapidly and for these reasons menadione is usually not used as such in commercial feeds and premixes, but is formulated with sodium bisulfite and derivatives thereof.

The use of MSB and MNB in animal nutrition does not give rise to safety concerns for consumers. The use of MSB and MNB in animal nutrition does not pose a risk to the environment. MSB and MNB are regarded as effective sources of vitamin K in animal nutrition.

No physico-chemical incompatibilities or interactions have been reported between MSB or MNB and feed materials, carriers or feed additives (except choline chloride) when the additive was added to premixtures and feed. No such incompatibilities or interactions are expected.

The most common menadione compounds used in the industry are menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB), menadione sodium bisulfite (MSBC), menadione dimethyl pyrimidinol bisulfate (MPB); and the menadione nicotinamide bisulfite (MNB).

In Europe Vitamin K has been authorised without time limit under Council Directive 70/524/EEC8 for its use for all animal species as a nutritional additive. Vitamin K is included in the European Union Register of Feed Additives pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 with consecutive re-evaluations. It is authorised as a nutritional additive for use in all animal species without time limit and maximum content. Menadione is described in the European Pharmacopeia (PhEur, 2010) as Monograph (MG) 0507.
Menadione (and phytonadione) is listed as a pharmacologically active substance in veterinary
medicinal products and not subject to maximum residue levels when used in food-producing animals.

DIROX S.A., being one of the biggest and world`s oldest K3 plants, produces and sells all the above-mentioned line of K3 products in the market for more than 20 years. Among our clients, we have all multinational corporations dealing with feed premix business, without mention of hundreds of regional dealers and meat producers.

Our main vitamins types:


To buy vitamin K3 directly from the producer, please contact our sale department.

Go Back