title: In vivo pharmacokinetics comparisons of icariin, emodin and psoralen from gan-kang granules and extracts of herba Epimedii, Nepal dock root, Ficus hirta yahl.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gan-kang granules (GKG) contains the extracts from eight Chinese herbs and is a traditional Chinese composite prescription for treatment of hepatitis B. Icariin, emodin and psoralen are main effective ingredients of the medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this research, pharmacokinetic comparisons of icariin, emodin and psoralen from the extracts of herba Epimedii, Nepal dock root and Ficus hirta yahl, and GKG were conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  At different time points (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 h) after administration, the concentrations of icariin, emodin and psoralen in rat plasma were determined by HPLC-UV, and main pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pharmacokinetic parameters of icariin, emodin and psoralen in GKG were elevated comparing with those of herb extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three HPLC-UV methods were developed successfully for the analysis of icariin, emodin and psoralen in SD rat plasma. Some ingredients in GKG may increase the dissolution and absorption, and improve bioavailability of icariin, emodin and psoralen in rats.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha 410013, China.
authors.forename: Yihui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Juping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Shineng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yuxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002138:Calibration; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004355:Drug Stability; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004642:Emodin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D030681:Ficus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005363:Ficusin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011786:Quality Control; D051381:Rats; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D031804:Rumex / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C046314:epimedii flavone; C544211:gan-kang; D004642:Emodin; D005363:Ficusin; C056599:icariin