The experimental study of Astragalus membranaceus on meridian tropsim: The distribution study of astragaloside IV in rat tissues

► A LC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed and validated for astragaloside IV in heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney. ► The method was sensitive enough for distribution study of astragaloside IV in rat tissues. ► Liver, kidney, lung, heart and spleen were detected to contain astragaloside IV. ► Astragaloside IV was one of the material bases of the meridian tropism of Huangqi.