Comparisons of the pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution profiles of withanolide B after intragastric administration of the effective part of Datura metel L. in normal and psoriasis guinea pigs.

A simple, highly sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography- electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) method has been developed to quantify of withanolide B and obakunone (IS) in guinea pig plasma and tissues, and to compare the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of withanolide B in normal and psoriasis guinea pigs. After mixing with IS, plasma and tissues were pretreated by protein precipitation with methanol. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column using aqueous (0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid) solutions at 0.4 mL/min as the mobile phase. The gradient program was selected (0-4.0 min, 2-98% B; 4.0-4.5 min, 98-2% B; and 4.5-5 min, 2% B). Detection was performed on a 4000 QTRAP UPLC-ESI-MS/MS system from AB Sciex in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Withanolide B and obakunone (IS) were monitored under positive ionization conditions. The optimized mass transition ion-pairs (m/z) for quantitation were 455.1/109.4 for withanolide B and 455.1/161.1 for obakunone.

Simultaneous determination of anemoside B4, phellodendrine, berberine, palmatine, obakunone, esculin, esculetin in rat plasma by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and its application to a comparative pharmacokinetic study in normal and ulcerative colitis rats.

A sensitive and rapid ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of anemoside B4, phellodendrine, berberine, palmatine, obakunone, esculin, esculetin, toosendanin (IS1 of anemoside B4), tetrahydropalmatine (IS2 of phellodendrine, berberine, palmatine and obakunone) and scopoletin (IS3 of esculin and esculetin) and to compare the pharmacokinetics of these active ingredients in normal and ulcerative colitis rats. After methanol deproteinization, solvents were evaporated at 40°C under a gentle stream of nitrogen. Chromatography was performed using a C18 column with a gradient elution of 0.1% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile at 0.4ml/min. Detection and measurement were performed on a 4000 QTRAP UPLC-MS/MS system from AB Sciex in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Phellodendrine, berberine, palmatine, obakunone, esculin, esculetin, tetrahydropalmatine (IS2) and scopoletin (IS3) were monitored under positive ionization conditions. Anemoside B4, and toosendanin (IS1) were monitored under negative ionization conditions. The optimized mass transition ion-pairs (m/z) were 1221.1/750.7 for anemoside B4, 343.2/193.2 for phellodendrine, 337.1/321.0 for berberine, 353.0/336.9 for palmatine, 455.1/161.1 for obakunone, 341.2/179.2 for esculin, 179.1/123.0 for esculetin, 573.4/531.4 for toosendanin (IS1), 356.2/192.2 for tetrahydropalmatine (IS2) and 193.0/133.1 for scopoletin (IS3).