Development of an SPE–HPLC–MS method for simultaneous determination and pharmacokinetic study of bioactive constituents of Yu Ping Feng San in rat plasma after oral administration

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevanceYu Ping Feng San (YPFS, in Chinese: Jade Windscreen Powder), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, is commonly used to cure the diseases of respiratory systems and immune systems. Aim of the studyA selective and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry method (HPLC–MS) was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of cycloastragenol, formononetin, calycosin, 4′-O-β-glucopyranosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol (GMV) and cimifugin in rat plasma after oral administration of Yu Ping Feng San decoction. Materials and methodsPlasma samples were extracted via solid-phase extraction (SPE), separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column, detected by single quadruple mass spectrometry with an electrospray ionization interface, and quantified using selected ion monitoring mode. The current SPE–HPLC–MS assay was validated for linearity, intra-day and inter-day precisions, accuracy, extraction recovery and stability. The method was applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study after administration of Yu Ping Feng San to rats at different doses (10, 20 and 40g/kg). ResultsThe calibration curves were linear over the ranges 0.50–50ng/mL and 17.36–1736ng/mL. Intra- and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviations) were from 0.45% to 10.95%, and accuracy (relative recovery) from 95% to 115%. The extraction recoveries were greater than 88.42% for all analytes. Dose-dependence was shown for some constituents in the drug concentration–time profiles. Among all the active ingredients detected, cimifugin had the highest blood concentration (881–1510ng/mL), and cycloastragenol had the longest retention time in the rat body (15.06–20.44h). ConclusionThis analytical method is a selective, sensitive, precise, accurate, and reliable assay for simultaneous determination of cycloastragenol, calycosin, formononetin, GMV, and cimifugin in rat plasma.