Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of gelsenicine in mice by UPLC–MS/MS

Gelsenicine is an indole alkaloid isolated from Gelsemium elegans Benth. In recent years, the role of G. elegans Benth preparations in anti‐tumor, analgesic, dilatation and dermatological treatment has attracted attention, and it has been applied clinically, but it is easy to cause poisoning with its use. An UPLC–MS/MS method was established to determine the gelsenicine in mouse blood, and the pharmacokinetics of gelsenicine after intravenous (0.1 mg/kg) and intragastric (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) administration was studied. Deltalin was used as internal standard; a UPLC BEH C₁₈ column was used for chromatographic separation. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate (0.1% formic acid) with a gradient elution flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for quantitative analysis of gelsenicine in electrospray ionization positive interface. Proteins from mouse blood were removed by acetonitrile precipitation. A validation of this method was performed in accordance with the US Food and Drug Administration guidelines. In the concentration range of 0.05–100 ng/mL, the gelsenicine in the mouse blood was linear (r > 0.995), and the lower limit of quantification was 0.05 ng/mL. In the mouse blood, the intra‐day precision RSD was <12%, the inter‐day precision RSD was <15%, the accuracy ranged from 89.8 to 112.3%, the average recovery was >76.8%, and the matrix effect was between 103.7 and 108.4%, which meet the pharmacokinetic research requirements of gelsenicine. The UPLC–MS/MS method is sensitive, rapid and selective, and has been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of gelsenicine in mice. The absolute bioavailability of gelsenicine is 1.13%.     

Pharmacokinetic studies of a novel trioxane antimalarial (99/411) in rats and monkeys using LC–MS/MS

The pharmacokinetic profile of 99/411, a novel anti‐malarial drug, was established in rats (12 mg/kg of body weight) and monkeys (20 mg/kg of body weight). Following oral administration, the presence of 99/411 was rapidly determined in rat plasma, tissues, urine, feces and monkey plasma using a validated LC–MS/MS method. The tissue distribution studies in rats indicated that the drug was partially distributed in all major tissues and plasma, and peak concentration levels were achieved within 0.5–4 h. Area under the curve in different rat tissues and plasma was found in order of blood > lung > intestine > heart > muscle > brain > kidney > spleen > liver. The total recoveries (within 86 h) of 99/411 were <0.0017% and <0.08% in urine and feces, respectively. The peak plasma concentration was 3499 ng/mL in rats after ~2 h of oral administration and 697–767 ng/mL in monkeys after ~6 h of oral administration. No plasma accumulation was observed in both male and female monkeys, even after multiple dosing. The preclinical pharmacokinetic profile and tissue distribution data are expected to assist in future clinical explorations of 99/411 as a promising anti‐malarial agent.     

Validated UHPLC–MS/MS assay for quantitative determination of etoposide,gemcitabine, vinorelbine and their metabolites in patients with lung cancer

A fully valid UHPLC–MS/MS method was developed for the determination of etoposide, gemcitabine, vinorelbine and their metabolites (etoposide catechol, 2′,2′‐difluorodeoxyuridine and 4‐O ‐deacetylvinorelbine) in human plasma. The multiple reaction monitoring mode was performed with an electrospray ionization interface operating in both the positive and negative ion modes per compound. The method required only 100 μL plasma with a one‐step simple de‐proteinization procedure, and a short run time of 7.5 min per sample. A Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.8 μm) provided chromatographic separation of analytes using a binary mobile phase gradient (A, 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile, v /v; B, 0.1% formic acid in water, v /v). Linear coefficients of correlation were >0.995 for all analytes. The relative deviation of this method was <10% for intra‐ and inter‐day assays and the accuracy ranged between 86.35% and 113.44%. The mean extraction recovery and matrix effect of all the analytes were 62.07–105.46% and 93.67–105.87%, respectively. This method was successfully applied to clinical samples from patients with lung cancer.     

Simultaneous quantification of mycophenolic acid and its glucuronide metabolites in human plasma by an UPLC–MS/MS assay

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable UPLC–MS/MS assay for accurate quantification of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and its glucuronide conjugates in human plasma. Plasma proteins were precipitated with acetonitrile and the chromatographic separation was achieved on a C₁₈ column with a gradient elution. The detection was performed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in the positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring mode. Linearity of the assay was demonstrated over the range of 20–10,000 ng/mL for MPA and MPA glucuronide (MPAG), and 2–1000 ng/mL for acyl MPA glucuronide in human plasma. The assay was precise and accurate with coefficient of variation and bias <15%. MPA and MPAG were stable at 25 °C up to 1 day in both heparin‐ and EDTA‐treated blood. In heparin‐ and EDTA‐plasma, MPA and MPAG were stable for at least 1 week at 25 and 4 °C, and 1 month at ?20 °C. However, 99% acyl MPA glucuronide degraded in both heparin‐ and EDTA‐blood as well as plasma when stored at room temperature for 1 day. All the analytes remained stable for at least 3 months in acidified EDTA‐plasma at ?80 °C. The assay was successfully applied on patients post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LC‐MS/MS determination of bakkenolide D in rats plasma and its application in pharmacokinetic studies

A sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed and validated for determination of bakkenolide D (BD), which was further applied to assess the pharmacokinetics of BD. In the LC‐MS/MS method, the multiple reaction monitoring mode was used and columbianadin was chosen as internal standard. The method was validated over the range of 1–800 ng/mL with a determination coefficient >0.999. The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL in plasma. The intra‐ and inter‐day accuracies for BD were 91–113 and 100–104%, respectively, and the inter‐day precision was <15%. After a single oral dose of 10 mg/kg of BD, the mean peak plasma concentration of BD was 10.1 ± 9.8 ng/mL at 2 h. The area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC_{0–24 h}) was 72.1 ± 8.59 h ng/mL, and the elimination half‐life (T_1/2) was 11.8 ± 1.9 h. In case of intravenous administration of BD at a dosage of 1 mg/kg, the AUC_{0–24 h} was 281 ± 98.4 h?ng/mL, and the T_1/2 was 8.79 ± 0.63 h. Based on these results, the oral bioavailability of BD in rats at 10 mg/kg is 2.57%. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of febuxostat in dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A rapid, sensitive and selective ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of febuxostat in dog plasma. Using paclitaxel as an internal standard (IS), a simple liquid–liquid extraction method with ethyl acetate was adopted for plasma sample pretreatment. Separation was carried out on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water (containing 0.2% formic acid). The assay was linear in the concentration ranged from 5 to 5000 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 5 ng/mL for febuxostat. The single run analysis was as short as 2.0 min. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of febuxostat tablets following oral administration at a single dose of 40 mg in beagle dogs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High‐sensitivity simultaneous quantification of tacrolimus and 13‐O‐demethyl tacrolimus in human whole blood using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Blood concentrations of tacrolimus show large variability among patients and the narrow therapeutic range is related to adverse effects. Therefore, therapeutic drug monitoring is needed for strict management. 13‐O‐Demethyl tacrolimus (13‐O‐DMT) was reported as the major metabolite formed by cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A such as CYP3A5. In previous studies, the best lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.1 ng/mL for both substances. However, this LLOQ may not be low enough now because the dosage of tacrolimus has decreased in recent years. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a high‐sensitivity and high‐throughput assay for simultaneous quantification of tacrolimus and 13‐O‐DMT in human whole blood using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS). Thirty‐five stable kidney transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus were recruited in this study. The calibration curve range was 0.04–40 ng/mL. All calibration samples and quality control samples fulfilled the requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency guidelines for assay validation. Trough concentrations of tacrolimus and 13‐O‐DMT in 35 stable kidney transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus were within the range of the respective calibration curve. Our novel UPLC–MS/MS method is more sensitive than previous methods for quantification of tacrolimus and 13‐O‐DMT.     

LC‐MS/MS method for the determination of melamine in rat plasma: Toxicokinetic study in Sprague–Dawley rats

Most recently, melamine has raised international concern for its catastrophic health effects stemming from tainted infant formula. So far there is limited information concerning the pharmacokinetics of melamine in mammals. The present report concerns the development and validation of a sensitive HPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS method for the pharmacokinetic study of melamine in rat. The method employed a simple liquid–liquid extraction process for plasma sample cleanup, and the extraction recoveries of melamine from plasma were consistent at different concentrations. There was a linear relationship between chromatographic area and concentration over the range of 10–5000 ng/mL for melamine in plasma (R = 0.995). In this work, for the first time, melamine was administered intravenously and orally to Sprague–Dawley rats and the pharmacokinetic characteristics of this contaminant were investigated. The mean values of major pharmacokinetic parameters of oral availability, the mean steady‐state distribution volume (V_ss), clearance, and plasma elimination half‐life (T_1/2) of melamine in Sprague–Dawley rats were 72.9 ± 13.2%, 102.5 ± 12.5 mL/kg, 20.1 ± 3.8 mL/h/kg, and 4.9 ± 0.5 h, respectively. The rats pharmacokinetic study results suggested that melamine was predominantly restricted to blood or extracellular fluid and is not extensively distributed to most organ tissues. Meanwhile, melamine should be primarily eliminated by renal filtration for rats and does not undergo significant metabolism. These data should be useful to regulatory for risk assessment.     

LC‐ESI‐MS/MS analysis and pharmacokinetics of heterophyllin B,a cyclic octapeptide from Pseudostellaria heterophylla in rat plasma

Heterophyllin B (HB) is a cyclic octapeptide isolated from Pseudostellaria heterophylla. HB is used as the quality control index for evaluating P. heterophylla in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. A rapid and sensitive LC‐ESI‐MS/MS method was developed and validated for the analysis of HB in rat plasma. Sample preparation consisted of a solid‐phase extraction step for the removal of interference and preconcentration of the target analyte HB and the internal standard N‐acetylcysteine before chromatographic analysis by MS/MS detection. The separation of HB and N‐acetylcysteine was performed using a Hypersil GOLD^TM C₁₈ column and a mixture of methanol–water (60:40, v/v) containing 10 mmol/L ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase. The determination step was optimized in the selected reaction monitoring mode for the highly selective and sensitive quantitation of HB in rat plasma. Intra‐ and inter‐assay precision (as relative standard deviation) was ≤9.1%, and accuracy was between 92.6 and 102.7%. The validated method was successfully applied to quantify HB concentrations up to 7 h after tail intravenous injections of 2.08, 4.16 and 8.32 mg/kg HB in rats. The LC‐MS/MS method identified the relevant pharmacokinetic parameters of HB and its studied analog. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous determination of morphine‐6‐d‐glucuronide,morphine‐3‐d‐glucuronide and morphine in human plasma and urine by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry: Application to M6G injection pharmacokinetic study

A robust ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method for the determination of morphine‐6‐d ‐glucuronide (M6G), morphine‐3‐d ‐glucuronide (M3G) and morphine (MOR) in human plasma and urine has been developed and validated. The analytes of interest were extracted from plasma by protein precipitation. The urine sample was prepared by dilution. Both plasma and urine samples were chromatographed on an Acquity UPLC HSS T₃ column using gradient elution. Detection was performed on a Xevo TQ‐S tandem mass spectrometer in multiple reaction monitoring mode using positive electrospray ionization. Matrix interferences were not observed at the retention time of the analytes and internal standard, naloxone‐D5. The lower limits of quantitation of plasma and urine were 2/0.5/0.5 and 20/4/2 ng/mL for M6G/M3G/MOR, respectively. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration ranges of 2–2000/0.5–500/0.5–500 and 20–20,000/4–4000/2–2000 ng/mL for M6G/M3G/MOR in plasma and urine samples, respectively. The precision was <7.14% and the accuracy was within 85–115%. Furthermore, stability of the analytes at various conditions, dilution integrity, extraction recovery and matrix effect were assessed. Finally, this quantitative method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of M6G injection in Chinese noncancer pain patients.     

UPLC‐MS/MS determination of voriconazole in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A sensitive and rapid ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) method was developed to determine voriconazole in human plasma. Sample preparation was accomplished through a simple one‐step protein precipitation with methanol. Chromatographic separation was carried out on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column using an isocratic mobile phase system composed of acetonitrile and water containing 1% formic acid (45:55, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.50 mL/min. Mass spectrometric analysis was performed using a QTrap5500 mass spectrometer coupled with an electrospray ionization source in the positive ion mode. The multiple reaction monitoring transitions of m/z 351.0 → 281.5 and m/z 237.1 → 194.2 were used to quantify voriconazole and carbamazepine (internal standard), respectively. The linearity of this method was found to be within the concentration range of 2.0–1000 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 2.0 ng/mL. Only 1.0 min was needed for an analytical run. This fully validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of 200 mg voriconazole to 20 Chinese healthy male volunteers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A UPLC–MS/MS approach for simultaneous determination of eight flavonoids in rat plasma,and its application to pharmacokinetic studies of Fu‐Zhu‐Jiang‐Tang tablet in rats

The purpose of this study is to establish and validate a UPLC–MS/MS approach to determine eight flavonoids in biological samples and apply the method to pharmacokinetic study of Fu‐Zhu‐Jiang‐Tang tablet. A Waters BEH C₁₈ UPLC column was employed with methanol/0.1% formic acid–water as mobile phases. The mass analysis was carried out in a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer using multiple reaction monitoring with negative scan mode. A one‐step protein precipitation by methanol was used to extract the analytes from blood. Eight major flavonoids were selected as markers. Our results showed that calibration curves for 3′‐hydroxypuerarin, mirificin, puerarin, 3′‐methoxypuerarin, daidzin, rutin, astragalin and daidzein displayed good linear regression (r ² > 0.9986). The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions (RSD) of the eight flavonoids at high, medium and low levels were <8.03% and the bias of the accuracies ranged from −5.20 to 6.75%.The extraction recoveries of the eight flavonoids were from 91.4 to 100.5% and the matrix effects ranged from 89.8 to 103.8%. The validated approach was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in Sprague–Dawley rats after oral administration of FZJT tablet. Double peaks were emerged in curves of mean plasma concentration for 3′‐methoxypuerarin, which was reported for the first time.     

Pharmacokinetic studies of a novel tubulin inhibitor SK1326 in rat plasma by UPLC–MS/MS

A sensitive method for quantitation of SK1326 in rat plasma has been established using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI/MS/MS). SK1326 and the internal standard (tramadol) in plasma sample were extracted using acetonitrile. A centrifuged upper layer was then evaporated and reconstituted with a mobile phase of 0.5% formic acid–acetonitrile (35:65, v/v). The reconstituted samples were injected into a C₁₈ reversed-phase column. Using MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode, SK1326 and tramadol were detected without severe interference from the rat plasma matrix. SK1326 produced a protonated precursor ion ([M + H]⁺) at m/z 432.3 and a corresponding product ion at m/z 114.4. The internal standard produced a protonated precursor ion ([M + H]⁺) at m/z 264.4 and a corresponding product ion at m/z 58.1. Detection of SK1326 in rat plasma by the UPLC–ESI/MS/MS method was accurate and precise with a quantitation limit of 1.0 ng/mL. The validation, reproducibility, stability and recovery of the method were evaluated. The method has been successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of SK1326 in rat plasma. The pharmacokinetic parameters of SK1326 were evaluated after intravenous (at a dose of 10 mg/kg) and oral (at a dose of 20 mg/kg) administration of SK1326 in rats. After oral administration (20 mg/kg) of SK1326, the F (fraction absorbed) value was ~77.1%.     

A UPLC–MS/MS method for analysis of vancomycin in human cerebrospinal fluid and comparison with the chemiluminescence immunoassay

Vancomycin (VCM) is clinically used in treating patients with postoperative intracranial infections. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of VCM varies greatly among patients. To guide the dosage regimens, monitoring of VCM in CSF is needed. However a method for analysis of VCM in human CSF is lacking. An ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) was developed and validated for analysis of VCM in human CSF, and the agreement of UPLC–MS/MS and chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) in the analysis of CSF VCM was evaluated. The ion transitions were m/z 725.5 > 144.1 for VCM and m/z 455.2 > 308.2 for methotrexate (internal standard). The agreement between UPLC–MS/MS and CLIA was evaluated by Bland–Altman plot in 179 samples. The calibration range of the UPLC–MS/MS method was 1–400 mg/L. The inaccuracy and imprecision were −0.69–10.80% and <4.95%. The internal standard normalized recovery and matrix factor were 86.14–99.31 and 85.84–92.07%, respectively. The measurements of CLIA and UPLC–MS/MS were strongly correlated (r > 0.98). The 95% limit of agreement of the ratio of CLIA to UPLC‐MS/MS was 61.66–107.40%. Further studies are warranted to confirm the results.     

A rapid and sensitive UHPLC–MS/MS method for the determination of celosin A in rat plasma with application to pharmacokinetic study

Celosin A (CA), a natural compound isolated from Celosia argentea L., has been shown significant hepatoprotective effect on AHNP‐induced liver injury. This study described a rapid and sensitive ultra‐high‐pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) assay for determination of CA in rat plasma. Methanol‐mediated precipitation was used for sample pretreatment. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a T3 column with gradient elution using water and acetonitrile as mobile phase. Determination was obtained using an electrospray ionization source in negative selected reaction monitoring mode at the transitions of m/z 793.3 → m/z 661.2 and m/z 955.6 → m/z 793.2 for CA and IS, respectively. The assay was linear over the concentration range 0.25–2500 ng/mL (r > 0.995) with a lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 0.25 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions (RSD) were 1.65–9.84 and 2.46–13.49%, respectively, while accuracy (RR) ranged from 96.21 to 99.45%, respectively. The recovery ranged from 95.09 to 102.22% and the matrix effect from 98.29 to 100.13%. The analyte was stable under the tested storage conditions. The method has been successfully applied to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in rats after a single intravenous (2 mg/kg) or oral (50 mg/kg) administration. The oral bioavailability of CA was ~1.94%; in addition, there was no difference between male and female rats. This is the first time of the use of an UHPLC–MS/MS method for determination of CA concentration in rat plasma and for evaluation of its pharmacokinetic behavior.     

A quantitative determination of fluorochloridone in rat plasma by UPLC‐MS/MS method: application to a pharmacokinetic study

A precise, high‐throughput and sensitive ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) method has been developed for the determination of fluorochloridone (FLC) in rat plasma. The extraction of analytes from plasma samples was carried out by protein precipitation procedure using acetonitrile prior to UPLC‐MS/MS analysis. Verapamil was proved as a proper internal standard (IS) among many candidates. The chromatographic separation based on UPLC was well optimized. Multiple reaction monitoring in positive electrospray ionization was used with the optimized MS transitions at: m/z 312.0 → 292.0 for FLC and m/z 456.4 → 165.2 for IS. This method was well validated with good linear response (r² > 0.998) observed over the investigated range of 3–3000 ng/mL and with satisfactory stability. This method was also characterized with adequate intra‐ and inter‐day precision and accuracy (within 12%) in the quality control samples, and with high selectivity and less matrix effect observed. Total running time was only 1.5 min. This method has been successfully applied to a pilot FLC pharmacokinetic study after oral administration. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A validated LC‐MS/MS method for the determination of senkyunolide I in dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies

Senkyunolide I is one of the major bioactive components in the herbal medicine Ligusticum chuanxiong. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a fast, simple and sensitive LC‐MS/MS method for the determination of senkyunolide I in dog plasma. The plasma samples were processed with acetonitrile and separated on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm). The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% formic acid aqueous and acetonitrile was delivered at a flow rate of 0.3 mL min⁻¹. The detection was achieved in the positive selected reaction monitoring mode with precursor‐to‐product transitions at m/z 225.1 → 161.1 for senkyunolide I and at m/z 349.1 → 305.1 for an internal standard. The assay was linear over the tested concentration range, from 0.5 ng mL⁻¹ to 1000 ng mL⁻¹, with a correlation coefficient >0.9992. The mean extraction recovery from dog plasma was within the range of 85.78–93.25%, while the matrix effect of the analyte was within the range of 98.23–108.89%. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions (RSD) were <12.12% and the accuracy (RR) ranged from 98.89% to 104.24%. The validated assay was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies of senkyunolide I in dogs. The results demonstrated that (a) senkyunolide I showed short elimination half‐life (<1 h) in dog, (b) its oral bioavailability was >40% and (c) senkyunolide I showed dose‐independent pharmacokinetic profiles in dog plasma over the dose range of 1–50 mg kg⁻¹.     

Development of a rapid and sensitive UPLC‐MS/MS assay for the determination of TM‐2 in beagle dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A simple and sensitive method based on ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) has been developed for the determination of TM‐2, which was a novel semi‐synthetic taxane derivative in beagle dog plasma. Cabazitaxel was chosen as internal standard. Following extraction by methyl tert‐butyl ether, the chromatographic separation was achieved on a Thermo Syncronis C₁₈ column (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) by gradient elution within a runtime of 3.5 min. The mobile phase consisted of (A) acetonitrile and (B) 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate in water. The detection was accomplished using positive ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The MS/MS ion transitions were monitored at m/z 812.39 → 551.35 for TM‐2 and 836.36 → 555.26 for IS, respectively. The method was linear for TM‐2 (r = 0.9924) ranging from 2.5 to 1000 ng/mL. The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions (relative standard deviation) were within 8.0 and 17.6%, respectively, and the accuracy (relative error) was less than 2.3%. The extraction recovery ranged from 83.1 to 97.1%. The reliable method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of TM‐2 in beagle dogs after intravenous drip with different doses of 0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 mg/kg, respectively. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LC‐MS/MS determination of pogostone in rat plasma and its application in pharmacokinetic studies

Pogostone is an important constituent of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., and possesses various known bioactivities. A rapid, simple and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed for the analysis of pogostone in rat plasma using chrysophanol as internal standard (IS). The analytes were extracted with methanol and separated using a reversed‐phase YMC‐UltraHT Pro C₁₈ column. Elution was achieved with a mobile phase consisting of methanol–water (75:25, v/v) for 5 min at a flow rate of 400 μL/min. The precursor/product transitions (m/z) under MS/MS detection with negative electrospray ionization (ESI) were 223.0 → 139.0 and 253.1 → 224.9 for pogostone and IS, respectively. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range 0.05–160 µg/mL (r = 0.9996). The intra‐ and inter‐day accuracy and precision were within ±10%. The validated method was successfully applied to the preclinical pharmacokinetic investigation of pogostone in rats after intravenous (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) and oral administration (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg). Finally, the oral absolute bioavailability of pogostone in rats was calculated to be 70.39, 78.18 and 83.99% for 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, respectively. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.