Simple and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for simultaneous measurement of five Epimedium prenylflavonoids in rat sera.
A rapid and sensitive method to separate and quantify icariin, icariside I, icariside II, icaritin and desmethylicaritin in rat sera was developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Serum samples were extracted with ethyl acetate without further derivatization. Using coumestrol as an internal standard, calibration curves with good linearity (r(2)>0.99) within the concentration range of 0.78-12.5 nM for icariin, icaritin and desmethylicaritin, and 0.78-100 nM for icariside I and II, were obtained in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. For all analytes, the limits of detection and quantification were <1 nM and 1-2 nM, respectively. Inter- and intra-assay variabilities were <15% and accuracies were between 94% and 114%, respectively. This method was successfully applied to quantify levels of icariin, icariside I, icariside II, icaritin and desmethylicaritin in rat sera after oral administration of an Epimedium preparation.
Shen
Ping
P
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, National University Hospital, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
Wong
Shih Peng
SP
Li
Jun
J
Yong
E L
EL
D000818:Animals; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D034181:Epimedium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
D005419:Flavonoids