Antihemorrhagic Vitamin Effect of Honey. ∗

Summary

Buckwheat, alfalfa and mixed honeys when fed incorporated in basal ration to vitamin K depleted chicks were found to possess a definite antihemorrhagic activity equal to approximately 0.25 μg of 2-methyl-1,4 naphthoquinone per gram of honey. The antihemorrhagic activity of honey was greatly lowered when honey was administered in an aqueous solution directly to the vitamin K depleted chicks.

It was demonstrated that the antihemorrhagic activity of 2 -methyl-1,4 naphthoquinone is reduced about 3 times when fed in aqueous suspension. The antihemorrhagic activity of alfalfa hay in water suspension was practically nil while with an addition of 2 drops ethyl laurate, the prothrombin time was quite satisfactory.