LC/MS/MS quantitation assay for pharmacokinetics of naringenin and double peaks phenomenon in rats plasma

A highly sensitive and specific electrospray ionization (ESI) liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for quantitation of naringenin (NAR) and an explanation for the double peaks phenomenon was developed and validated. NAR was extracted from rat plasma and tissues along with the internal standard (IS), hesperidin, with ethyl acetate. The analytes were analyzed in the multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode as the precursor/product ion pair of m/z 273.4/151.3 for NAR and m/z 611.5/303.3 for the IS. The assay was linear over the concentration range of 5–2500 ng/mL. The lower limit quantification was 5 ng/mL, available for plasma pharmacokinetics of NAR in rats. Accuracy in within- and between-run precisions showed good reproducibility. When NAR was administered orally, only little and predominantly its glucuronidation were into circulation in the plasma. There existed double peaks phenomenon in plasma concentration–time curve leading to the relatively slow elimination of NAR in plasma. The results showed that there was a linear relationship between the AUC of total NAR and dosages. And the double peaks are mainly due to enterohepatic circulation.