Menatetrenone

Menatetrenone (INN), also known as MK4, is a vitamin K compound used as a hemostatic agent, and also as adjunctive therapy for the pain of osteoporosis. Menatetrenone is one of the nine forms of vitamin K₂.

MK4 is produced via conversion of vitamin K₁ in the body, in the testes, pancreas and arterial walls. While major questions still surround the biochemical pathway for the transformation of vitamin K₁ to MK4, studies demonstrate the conversion is not dependent on gut bacteria, occurring in germ-free rats and in parenterally-administered K₁ in rats. In fact, tissues that accumulate high amounts of MK4 have a remarkable capacity to convert up to 90% of the available K₁ into MK4.