Analysis of daidzein in nanoparticles after oral co-administration with sodium caprate to rats by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

An ultra-performance-liquid-chromatography–quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS) method was developed and validated for the quantitation of daidzein (DZ) in rat plasma. Ethylparaben was chosen as internal standards (IS). DZ was linear over the range of 0.001–5 μg/mL. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.001 μg/mL and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.0005 μg/mL. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) were ranged from 3.59% to 6.43% and 5.35% to 7.25%, respectively. This UPLC/Q-TOF-MS method provided good specifity, highly sensitivity, accurate and high-speed detection (6 min), applicable to the pharmacokinetics study in rats in vivo after oral administration of free daidzein solution, daidzein-loaded poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (D-NPs) suspension and D-NPs co-administered with sodium caprate (C10) which as the oral absorption promoter. It was shown that the pharmacokinetics behavior was significantly improved after the oral administration of D-NPs suspension co-administered with absorption promoter C10 by the fact that the relative bioavailability were enhanced about 4.24-fold, compared to that of DZ suspension.

► This UPLC/Q-TOF-MS method is rapid, simple and suitable for pharmacokinetic analysis.
► The absorption promoter C10 could enhance the oral absorption of daidzein.
► It has been identified the pharmacokinetic behavior of three daidzein formulations.