CONTENT OF PHYLLOQUINONE AND MENAQUINONE DERIVATIVES IN THE ORGANS OF PELAGIC AND DEMERSAL FISHES

Abstract The contents of phylloquinone (PK) and menaquinone (MK)-4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in the different organs of four species of fishes were compared. Mackerel, Scomber japonicus (Houttuyn), a typical pelagic fish, contained a large amount of PK but only trace amounts of MK-4 and MK-6 in the liver and kidney. Saury, Cololabis saira (Brevoort) contained a large amount of MK-4 in the heart and gonad, and a little PK. Marbled sole, Limanda yokohamae (Gunther) and sillago, Sillago japonica (Temminck and Schlegel), demersal fish, contained relatively large amounts of MK-4 and PK but only small amounts of MK-6, 7 and 8. In marbled sole and sillago, the contents of the gastrointestinal tracts were rich in MK-long chains. While, the tissues and contents of digestive tracts of mackerel and saury contained little MK-long chains. These findings suggest that vitamin K in the tissues of fish originates from the food taken in. However, a certain discrepancy between the composition pattern of vitamin K (V. K) in the tissue and contents of the gastrointestinal tract might indicate that different forms of V. K are absorbed and/or accumulated in the tissues in a different manner.