Menaquinone 6

Menaquinone 6 (MK-6) is a form of vitamin K2, a fat-soluble vitamin. It is a bacterial isoprenoid naphthoquinone that functions as an essential component of the electron transport chain in many microorganisms, cycling between its quinone and quinol forms to shuttle electrons and protons during anaerobic respiration. In humans, as a form of vitamin K2, it plays a crucial role as a coenzyme for vitamin K-dependent carboxylase, which is involved in the synthesis of proteins essential for blood coagulation, bone metabolism (e.g., osteocalcin, matrix Gla protein), and the inhibition of vascular calcification. It is available as a dietary supplement and is also being investigated for potential therapeutic uses, including in a clinical trial for comparing different dosages of Vitamin K2.

Other names

2-methyl-3-farnesyl-farnesyl-1,4-naphthoquinone2-[(2E,6E,10E,14E,18E)-3,7,11,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosa-2,6,10,14,18,22-hexaenyl]-3-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione