Phytonadione

What is phytonadione?

Vitamin K1, also known as phytonadione, is present in all photosynthetic plants, algae and cyanobacteria, where it serves as the secondary electron acceptor in photosystem I (R). As a result, it is widely distributed in green vegetables including spinach, broccoli, cabbage and lettuce, plant oils including soybean, canola, cottonseed and olive, and vegetable oil products such as margarine, spreads and salad dressings (R, R). It is also often used in dietary supplements (R).

Does phytonadione get absorbed?

In an experiment on pig ear skin, vitamin K1 solubilised in liquid vaseline was able to penetrate the skin barrier to reach the epidermis and the dermis, but most was retained in the stratum corneum. Incorporating vitamin K1 in liquid crystalline systems doubled its delivery to the stratum corneum, and tripled its delivery to the viable layers of the skin (R). Formulations based on lipid vesicles can also enhance the accumulation of vitamin K1 in the skin and its permeation through the skin (R).

On the other hand, nanoencapsulation of vitamin K1 in lipid-core nanocapsules increased vitamin K1 retention in the outermost skin layer and raised the amount of vitamin K1 in the dermis, but decreased the permeation of vitamin K1 through the skin (R). Formulating vitamin K1 in an water-in-oil emulsion has also been found to minimise its transdermal absorption (R).

Considering vitamin K1's lipophilic nature, it is surprisingly also possible to develop aqueous spray formulations to deliver vitamin K1 topically (R).