Short communicationDevelopment of a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for quantification of coniferyl ferulate and its metabolite coniferyl alcohol in rat plasma: Application to a pharmacokinetic study

•Coniferyl ferulate and its metabolite coniferyl alcohol were simultaneously determined.•Method validation procedures were in accordance with EMA regulations.•It was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study in rats.

A rapid and simple LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of coniferyl ferulate (CF) and its metabolite coniferyl alcohol (CA) using bavachromene as an internal standard (IS). A TSQ Quantum Access mass spectrometer was operated under selected-reaction monitoring mode using negative electrospray ionization. Extraction with ether was used in sample preparation. The plasma samples were prepared and then chromatographed on a Phenomenex Luna C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm; Torrance, USA) at 35 °C, using acetonitrile: water (65:35, v/v) in an isocratic mode at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Method validation was performed as per the FDA guidelines and calibration curves showed good linearity over the concentration range of 2.5-1000 ng/mL for both CF and CA. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were within the acceptable limits. The developed assay was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of CA in rats.