Integrated pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of multiple flavonoid C-glycosides components in rat after oral administration of Abrus mollis extract and correlations with bio-effects

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAbrus mollis, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in China and other Asia countries, has been used clinically to prevent and treat hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease for decades.Materials and methodsA modified HPLC–MS method was developed for the determination of vicenin-2 (AM-I), isoschaftoside (AM-II), and schaftoside (AM-III) of AM extract (AME) in rat plasma and tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys). Following oral administration of AME to rat at a dose of 200 mg/kg, the concentrations of AM-I, II and III in plasma and tissues were quantified. An integrated double peak pharmacokinetics model was used to fit the concentration–time curves. The effects of drug on the bile flow and toe swelling of rats induced by carrageenan were also studied.ResultsThe limit of quantitation of this modified HPLC–MS method decreased from 25 to 5 ng/mL for plasma and from 100 to 10 ng/g for tissue. These concentration–time curves show two successive maximum concentrations. The results of integrated double peak pharmacokinetics in this paper indicated that the three flavonoid C-glycosides may be absorbed by two sites of intestine in vivo. These results of bile flow and toe swelling showed a significant correlation between the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.ConclusionsThe novel integrated double peak pharmacokinetic approach to studying the holistic pharmacokinetic properties of traditional Chinese medicine has been successfully developed and validated using AM as a model drug. This study would be a useful guide for the holistic double peak pharmacokinetic study in consistence with the intrinsic theory and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (164 K)Download as PowerPoint slide