Development and validation of a sensitive and rapid non-aqueous LC-ESI-MS/MS method for measurement of diosgenin in the plasma of normal and hyperlipidemic rats: a comparative study.

A sensitive and specific electrospray ionization liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to detect diosgenin in the plasma of normal and hyperlipidemic rats. Diosgenin was extracted with n-hexane-ethyl acetate (9:1, v/v) using sarsasapogenin as an internal standard. With multiple reaction monitoring modes, linear calibration curves were obtained in the range 10-1500 ng/mL (r>or=0.9979) and the limit of quantification was 10 ng/mL. Intra- and inter-assay variabilities were within 7.74%, and accuracies were between -5.33% and 1.50%. The assay was successfully applied to study pharmacokinetics in rats after oral administration of diosgenin. Significantly different pharmacokinetics between normal and hyperlipidemic rats were observed, which would be beneficial for the clinical use of diosgenin.