Validation of a HPLC-tandem MS/MS method for pharmacokinetics study of (+)-pinoresinol-di-β-D-glucopyranoside from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv extract in rats' plasma.

Natural plant compounds have an unexceptional influence in pharmacy as they provide an uncountable number of invaluable lead molecules. Phytochemical researches nowadays focus on bio-assay guided revealing of the therapeutic profile and synergism of medicinal herbs and their constituents. Assessing the clinical and biological potential and determining the pharmacokinetics of herbal constituents is also an area of much interest. This work was conducted in order to carry out a sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrum (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the pharmacokinetics study of (+)-pinoresinol-di-β-D-glucopyranoside (PG) in rats' plasma after oral administration of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv extract. The validated method was by means of linearity, precision, matrix effect and recovery so that it could be used for the pharmacokinetic study of PG. The obtained pharmacokinetic parameters shown that PG pertains to one-compartment model and 95% of PG was eliminated within 12h.