A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for comprehensive determination of metabolites in the purine pathway of rat plasma and its application in anti-gout effects of Lycium ruthenicum Murr.

It has been proved that purine metabolites are implicated in various biological syndromes and disorders. Therefore, the realization of panoramic detection of purine metabolites will be of great significance to the pathogenesis of purine metabolic disorders. In the present study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the comprehensive quantification of purine metabolites in rat plasma. The 17 purine metabolites were separated and quantified in the short running time of 15 min. The proposed method was strictly validated by applying SeraSub solution as a matrix and proved to be linear (R2 ≥ 0.9944), accurate (the recoveries of all analytes ranged from 85.3% to 103.0%, with relative standard deviation values ≤ 9.3%), and precise (the intra- and inter-day precisions were less than 10.8% and 12.4%, respectively). The method was then successfully applied to the qualification of the endogenous purine metabolites in acute gouty arthritis rats, as well as colchicine and anthocyanin-intervened rats. Results showed that uric acid, xanthine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine were considered the key factors of acute gouty arthritis. The established method and measurement of purines in rat plasma might help the investigation of the action mechanisms between purine disorders and related diseases.