title: LC-MS/MS method for the determination of a new puerarin derivative and its application in pharmacokinetic studies in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantitative analysis of dehydrated puerarin in rat plasma, and its application for pharmacokinetic studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A plasma sample was pretreated by one-step protein precipitation by the addition of five volumes of methanol. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 150 mm I.D. 5.0 μm, Agilent, USA) at 40 °C at a flow rate of 0.6 mL·min(-1) by an isocratic elution consisting of 10 mmol·L(-1) ammonium acetate in methanol and water containing 0.1% formic acid in a ratio of 20 : 80 (V/V). Detection was performed on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. An atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) interface in positive ionization mode was used by monitoring the transitions from m/z 399.1→281.0 (dehydrated puerarin) and m/z 271.0→215.0 (internal standard, IS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calibration curves were linear in the concentration range from 1.50 to 5400 ng·mL(-1), and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 1.50 ng·mL(-1) in rat plasma. The accuracy and precision values, which were calculated from three different sets of quality control samples analyzed in sextuplicate on three different days, ranged from 95.73% to 103.18%, and from 4.33% to 7.86%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method was successfully applied to assess the pharmacokinetics of dehydrated puerarin after oral administration in rats.
authors.affiliation: Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: An-Chang
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China. Electronic address: louhongxiang@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hong-Xiang
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004355:Drug Stability; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D029908:Pueraria / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007529:Isoflavones; C033607:puerarin
keywords: Dehydrated puerarin; Genistein; LC-MS/MS; Pharmacokinetics