Pharmacokinetics of vitexin-4″-O-glucoside in rats after intravenous application.

Vitexin-4″-O-glucoside (VOG), being a main component in the leaves of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major, was isolated and then three different doses (20, 40, and 60 mg/kg) of VOG were administered intravenously to rats. To study its pharmacokinetics, a simple and rapid HPLC method was developed using hesperidin as internal standard and the relative parameters were calculated by both compartmental and non-compartmental approach. The results showed that VOG fitted a two-compartment open model. The values of AUC increased proportionally within the range of 20-60 mg/kg. Additionally, α half-life, β half-life, (a)CL, MRT(0→t ), MRT(0→∞ ), and terminal half-life of VOG in rats showed significant differences between 20 mg/kg and other doses. Thereby, VOG presented a dose-dependent pharmacokinetics in the range of 20-60 mg/kg and non-linear pharmacokinetics at lower dose.