Bin Zhou1, Jingze Zhang2, Shanshan Wu1, Qu Zhuo1, Wenyuan Gao3, Juan Hao4, Shuli Man1. 1. Tianjin Key Laboratory for Modern Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China. 2. Department of Pharmacy, Medical college of Chinese People׳s Armed Police Forces, Tianjin 300162, China. 3. Tianjin Key Laboratory for Modern Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China. Electronic address: biochemgao@163.com. 4. School of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of TCM, Tianjin 300193, China.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and processed radix Aconiti kusnezoffii are the main components in many Chinese traditional patent medicines with the ratio of 1:1, which are used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, heart failure and so on. Glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetic acid, liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin are the essential bioactive triterpenes and flavones in the extract of G. uralensis, which were analysis by a simple but accurate method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, a specific HPLC method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of pharmacokinetic parameters of glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetic acid, liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin in G. uralensis after oral administration of single herb extract and a combination of two herbs extracts respectively. RESULTS: The calibration curves of the four components had good linearity higher than 0.9991 in the measured range. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (RSD) at different levels were both within 9.73%, and the accuracies (RE) were in the range of -7.9-8.0%. Compared with pharmacokinetic parameters of G. uralensis administered orally, values of AUC and Cmax of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin decreased significantly (p<0.05), plasma concentrations of glycyrrhizic acid rose slightly and bimodal phenomenon of concentration-time of isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhetinic acid disappeared after combined administration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Some components in the extract of processed radix A. kusnezoffii showed different effects on the pharmacokinetics of the four ingredients in G. uralensis.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and processed radix Aconiti kusnezoffii are the main components in many Chinese traditional patent medicines with the ratio of 1:1, which are used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, heart failure and so on. Glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetic acid, liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin are the essential bioactive triterpenes and flavones in the extract of G. uralensis, which were analysis by a simple but accurate method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, a specific HPLC method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of pharmacokinetic parameters of glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetic acid, liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin in G. uralensis after oral administration of single herb extract and a combination of two herbs extracts respectively. RESULTS: The calibration curves of the four components had good linearity higher than 0.9991 in the measured range. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (RSD) at different levels were both within 9.73%, and the accuracies (RE) were in the range of -7.9-8.0%. Compared with pharmacokinetic parameters of G. uralensis administered orally, values of AUC and Cmax of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin decreased significantly (p<0.05), plasma concentrations of glycyrrhizic acid rose slightly and bimodal phenomenon of concentration-time of isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhetinic acid disappeared after combined administration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Some components in the extract of processed radix A. kusnezoffii showed different effects on the pharmacokinetics of the four ingredients in G. uralensis.