Ultra‐fast LC–ESI‐MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of six highly toxic Aconitum alkaloids from Aconiti kusnezoffii radix in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study. Issue 1 (January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Jingjing; Li, Qing; Yin, Yidi; Liu, Ran; Xu, Huarong; Bi, Kaishun
• Is Part Of: Journal of separation science. Volume 37:Issue 1/2(2014)
• Page Start: 171
• Page End: 178
• Publication Date: 2014-01
• Subjects: Separation (Technology) -- Periodicals; Chromatographic analysis -- Periodicals; 543.089
• DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201300775
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1615-9306

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>A fast, sensitive, and efficient ultra‐fast LC–ESI‐MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous quantitation of six highly toxic <italic>Aconitum</italic> alkaloids, that is, aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylaconine, benzoylmesaconine, and benzoylhypaconine, in rat plasma after oral administration of crude ethanol extracts from Aconiti kusnezoffii radix by ultrasonic extraction, reflux extraction for 1 h, and reflux extraction for 3 h, respectively. The separation of six <italic>Aconitum</italic> alkaloids and aminopyrine (internal standard) was performed on an InertSustain® C<sub>18</sub> column, and the quantification of the analytes was performed on a 4000Q ultra‐fast LC–MS/MS system with turbo ion spray source in the positive ion and multiple‐reaction monitoring mode. Absolute recoveries ranged within 65.06–85.1% for plasma samples. The intra‐ and interday precision and accuracy of analytes were satisfactory. The methods were validated with sensitivity reaching the lower LOQ for aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylaconine, benzoylmesaconine, and benzoylhypaconine, which were 0.025, 0.025, 0.050, 0.025, 0.025, and 0.100 ng/mL, respectively. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of six <italic>Aconitum</italic> alkaloids in rat plasma after oral administration of crude ethanol extracts from the raw root of <italic>Aconitum kusnezoffii</italic> Reichb. by three different extraction processes.</p> </abstract>