Multi-component pharmacokinetic study of prunus mume fructus extract after oral administration in rats using...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Traditional Medicine
• Analytical Chemistry
• Pharmacokinetics

Background:

• Prunus mume fructus (MF) is utilized in traditional Chinese medicine and food for its diverse pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiarrheal effects.
• Understanding the pharmacokinetic profiles of MF's active components is crucial for its medicinal applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of 16 key compounds in rat plasma.
• To apply the validated method for evaluating the pharmacokinetics of these 16 components after oral administration of MF extract in rats.

Main Methods:

• A UPLC-MS/MS method was established using an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column with a gradient elution of methanol and formic acid aqueous solution.
• Plasma samples were prepared by protein precipitation with acetonitrile, and analytes were detected using electrospray ionization in negative ion mode.
• Method validation included assessment of accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effects, and stability.

Main Results:

• The developed UPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high sensitivity and reliability for quantifying 16 prototype components in rat plasma.
• Intra-day and inter-day accuracies ranged from -9.4% to 9.4%, with precision below 14.8%.
• Extraction recovery, matrix effects, and stability were within acceptable ranges, confirming method robustness.

Conclusions:

• A validated UPLC-MS/MS method provides a reliable tool for analyzing multiple MF components in biological matrices.
• The method facilitates comprehensive pharmacokinetic investigations of Prunus mume fructus extract, supporting its traditional medicinal use.