Abstract
A sensitive and reliable LC-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for simultaneous determination of six Aconitum alkaloids (aconitine, hypaconitine, mesaconitine, benzoylaconitine, benzoylhypacoitine, and benzoylmesaconine) and seven ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, and Rg1) in rat plasma after oral administration of Shen-Fu prescription. Psoralen was selected as internal standard (IS). Protein precipitation with methanol was used in sample preparation. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a CORTECS™ C18 column with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as mobile phase. The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min. The detection was performed on a tandem mass system with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source in the positive ionization and multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The calibration curves of six Aconitum alkaloids and seven ginsenosides were linear over the range of 0.1-50 and 1-500 ng/mL, respectively. The extraction recoveries of the analytes in plasma samples ranged from 64.2 to 94.1%. Meanwhile, the intra- and interday precision of the analytes were less than 14.3%, and the accuracy was in the range of −14.2% to 9.8%. The developed method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics of six Aconitum alkaloids and seven ginsenosides in rat plasma after oral administration of Shen-Fu prescription.
Highlights
Shen-Fu prescription, which was derived from traditional Chinese medicine, was first documented in a Chinese medical book Jisheng Fang more than 7 centuries ago
The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) could meet the analytical requirement of signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) above 10, accuracy within ±20%, and precision below 20%
The response of the analytes and internal standard (IS) in electrospray ionization (ESI) source were evaluated by recording the full-scan mass spectrum
Summary
Shen-Fu prescription, which was derived from traditional Chinese medicine, was first documented in a Chinese medical book Jisheng Fang more than 7 centuries ago. Shen-Fu prescription is composed of Radix Aconite Lateralis Preparata (Fuzi in Chinese) and Radix Ginseng Rubra (Hongshen in Chinese). It was simpler and more effective than other traditional Chinese herbal prescriptions in the treatment of heart failure and shock. It is commonly used as herbal medicines in Asian countries, and successfully developed into a serial of modern pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as injection or oral formulation. The lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx., exhibits pharmacological effects including strengthening cardiotonic function and resisting inflammation [4].
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