[Comparison of the biological activity and stability of menadione and menadiol in male chickens].

A bioassay of vitamin K is described, based on the prothrombin clotting time of 3-week-old, vitamin-K-depleted, and cumatetralyl-sensitized male broiler chicks, using a homologous thrombokinase preparation. With this test it could be shown that the diacetate and dibutyrate esters of menadiol are vitamin-K-active. The bioactivity of menadione from these menadiolesters amounted to about 70% of the standard menadione from a coated menadione sodium bisulfite (Dohyfral). Menadiol seems to be temperature-resistant under such conditions, whereby two uncoated MSB preparations lost about 60% of their activity.