Sulcardine sulfate is a newly developed candidate drug used to control arrhythmias. The aim of this research was to investigate the pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and excretion characteristics of sulcardine in animals.

BACKGROUND:Depside salts from Salvia miltiorrhiza, with active components of lithospermic acid B (LSB), rosmarinic acid (RA), and lithospermic acid (LA), are a multicomponent drug marketed in China for the treatment of coronary heart disease. OBJECTIVES:The aims of this study were to determine the concentrations of LSB, RA, and LA in human plasma and urine, and to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of depside salts from S miltiorrhiza in healthy Chinese volunteers. METHODS:A randomized, open-label, single-dose study was conducted in healthy Chinese volunteers. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a single intravenous infusion of 100 or 200 mg of depside salts from S miltiorrhiza. Blood was collected through a venous cannula prior to study drug administration (0 min) and at 10, 20, 30, 60, 65, 70, 80, and 90 minutes and 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after study drug administration. Urine samples were taken before study drug administration (0) and at 0 to 12 and 12 to 24 hours after study drug administration. LSB, RA, and LA concentrations in serum and urine were analyzed by an LC-MS/MS method. Tolerability was determined by clinical assessment; vital signs (ie, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature) monitoring at baseline and at the end of the study, clinical laboratory tests (ie, hematology, blood biochemistry, hepatic function, renal function, urinalysis), 12-lead ECG measurements, and physical examinations at baseline and after completion of the study. RESULTS:Twelve Chinese volunteers (6 males, 6 females; mean [SD] age, 25.2 [3.8] years; mean height, 165.7 [8.9] cm; mean body mass index, 21.6 [2.5] kg/m(2)) were enrolled in the study. Peak plasma concentrations of LSB, RA and LA were observed at 0.3 to 1 hour following the 1-hour intravenous infusion, with respective mean (SD) Cmax of 4925 (1861), 174 (61), and 361 (101) ng/mL for the 100-mg dose and 10,285 (2259), 308 (77), and 674 (85) ng/mL for the 200-mg dose. The AUClast values for LSB, RA, and LA were 4537 (1265), 129 (28), and 1229 (330) ng/mL/h, respectively, for the 100-mg dose and 10,426 (2589), 260 (53), and 2792 (729) ng/mL/h for the 200-mg dose. No significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters was observed between male and female subjects. Three metabolites were found in the plasma with low concentrations. The urinary excretion recoveries of LSB, RA, and LA were 0.58% (0.42%), 25.21% (20.61%), and 10.02% (7.72%) for the 100-mg dose and 0.38% (0.18%), 20.11% (10.50%), and 6.34% (3.20%) for the 200-mg dose. No adverse events were reported by the subjects or found by the investigators in the analysis of vital signs, 12-lead ECG measurements, physical examinations, or clinical laboratory tests. CONCLUSIONS:Following single intravenous infusion of 100 or 200 mg of depside salts from S miltiorrhiza to healthy Chinese subjects, no statistical differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were observed between males and females. The 2 doses of depside salts from S miltiorrhiza were clinically well tolerated during the study.

A rapid and sensitive method based on liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of lithospermic acid B and its three main O-methylated metabolites in rat serum with silibinin as the internal standard. The calibration curves for LSB, and the three metabolites were linear over the ranges of 16–4096, and 8–2048ng/ml, respectively, with coefficients of correlation >0.998. For LSB, the intra-assay coefficient of variance (CV) was less than 9.3% and the inter-assay CV was less than 8.9%. The inter-assay mean accuracy was between 92.8% and 104.7%. For the three metabolites, the intra-assay CV was less than 8.7% and the inter-assay CV was less than 9.9%. The inter-assay mean accuracy was between 92.5% and 107.9%. This quantitation method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of LSB in rats. Also, a total recovery of 5.2%was found in bile after oral administration.

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of lithospermic acid (LA), a component isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, and its two O-methylated metabolites (3'-monomethyl- and 3',3''-dimethyl-lithospermic acid), were analyzed by a rapid and specific isocratic liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method. Rat serum samples collected after intravenous and oral administration were analyzed for obtaining pharmacokinetic data of LA. Two O-methylated metabolites, namely one 3'-monomethyl- and one 3',3''-dimethyl-lithospermic acid were detected in rat serum and bile samples after intravenous and oral administration of LA, respectively. An oral bioavailability of 1.15% was found, with the AUC(0-t) values of 301.89 and 3.46mgh/L for intravenous and oral administration, respectively. The total recovery from bile was 75.36% (0.46% for LA, 17.23% for M1, and 57.67% for M2) after intravenous administration, and 4.26% (0.00% for LA, 0.10% for M1, and 4.16% for M2) after oral administration. These results indicate that methylation is the main metabolic pathway of LA, and that LA is excreted into rat bile and finally into feces.

Salviae miltiorrhiza, a traditional Chinese medical herb known as "Danshen," has been widely used in clinics to improve blood circulation, relieve blood stasis, and treat coronary heart disease. Depside salts from S. miltiorrhiza are a novel drug in which magnesium lithospermate B and its analogs are the active components. The pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, metabolism, and excretion of three of the major components, lithospermic acid B, rosmarinic acid (RA), and lithospermic acid (LA), were studied by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry following intravenous administration in Sprague-Dawley rats. The elimination half-lives for LSB, RA, and LA were 1.04, 0.75, and 2.0 h, respectively, when 60 mg/kg S. miltiorrhiza depside salts were administrated. The areas under the curve for LSB, RA, and LA were 51.6, 6.6, and 25.2 mg . h/l, respectively, and the values decreased in the individual tissues in the following order: kidney > lung > liver > heart > spleen > brain for LSB; kidney > lung > heart > liver > spleen > brain for RA; and heart > lung > kidney > liver > spleen > brain for LA. After intravenous administration of 60 mg/kg S. miltiorrhiza depside salts, 86% of the LSB was excreted in the bile within 6 h. The main metabolites M1 and M2 were found in the serum. Overall, the results show that depside salts from S. miltiorrhiza are rapidly and widely distributed to tissues after intravenous administration in rats but that they are also rapidly cleared and excreted.

The six phenolic constituents are water-soluble components extracted from the Chinese medical herb danshen, the dried roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Labiatae). An liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)-based method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of six phenolic constituents of danshen (magnesium lithospermate B (MLB), rosmarinic acid (RA) and lithospermic acid (LA), caffeic acid (CAA), protocatechuic aldehyde (3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, Pal), 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid (danshensu)) in human serum with chloramphenicol as internal standard. The serum samples were treated by special liquid-liquid extraction, and the analytes were determined using electrospray negative ionization mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, with sufficient sensitivity to allow analysis of human serum samples generated following administration of a clinically relevant dose. Good linearity over the range 8-2048 ng/mL for six phenolic constituents was observed. The intra- and inter-day precisions (CV) of analysis were <13%, and the accuracy ranged from 88 to 116%. This quantitation method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of i.v. drip infusion of Danshen injection fluid in human.

A simple, reliable and sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method (LC–MS/MS) was developed and validated for quantification of free and total ezetimibe in human plasma. The analyte and internal standard (13C6-ezetimibe) were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction with methyl tert-butyl ether. The reversed-phase chromatographic separation was performed on a Capcell C18 column, and the plasma extract was eluted with a gradient consisting of acetonitrile and 5mM ammonium acetate. The analyte was detected using negative ionization by multiple reaction monitoring mode. The mass transition pairs of m/z 408.5→270.8 and m/z 414.5→276.8 were used to detect ezetimibe and internal standard, respectively. The assay exhibited linear ranges from 0.02 to 20ng/ml for free ezetimibe and 0.25 to 250ng/ml for total ezetimibe in human plasma. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations of the calibration standard and quality control. The validated method was successfully used to analyze human plasma samples for application in a pharmacokinetic study.

A simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for quantification of deglymidodrine in human plasma. The plasma samples were pretreated by protein precipitation with trichloroacetate. The chromatographic separation was performed on reversed phase Aquasil C18 column, and the plasma extraction was eluted with a mobile phase solution consisting of acetonitrile (containing 0.02% formic acid) and water (containing 0.02% formic acid). The molecular ion of analyte was detected in positive ionization by multiple reaction monitoring. The mass transitions of m/z 198.4--> 148.1 and m/z 212.4--> 162.3 were used for detection of deglymidodrine and its internal standard, respectively. The assay exhibited linear ranges from 0.25 to 32 ng/ml for the analyte in human plasma. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations of quality control (QC) samples. The proposed method has been successfully used to analyze human plasma samples for application in oral pharmacokinetic study.

A sensitive and specific isocratic liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the quantification of magnesium lithospermate B (MLB) in beagle dog serum with silibinin as internal standard. The serum samples were treated by special liquid–liquid extraction, and the analytes were determined using electrospray negative ionization mass spectrometry in the selective monitoring mode, with sufficient sensitivity to allow analysis of dog serum samples generated following administration of a clinically relevant dose. The calibration curve for MLB was linear over the range 8–2048ng/ml with coefficients of correlation >0.999. The intra- and inter-day precisions (CV) of analysis were <7%, and accuracy ranged from 90 to 106%. This quantitation method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of i.h. administration of MLB with dosages of 3, 6, 12mg/kg in beagle dogs.

AIM:To develop a specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the pharmacokinetic study of magnesium lithospermate B (MLB), and study the pharmacokinetics of MLB after i.v. administration in beagle dogs.METHODS:Each beagle dog was iv administered MLB 3, 6, and 12 mg/kg random. The serum drug concentration was determined by specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by Drug and Statistics version 1.0 program.RESULTS:The calibration curve for MLB was linear over a range of 16-4096 microg/L with coefficients of correlation >0.999. The intra- and inter-day precisions (CV) of analysis were <10 %, and accuracy ranged from 90 % to 113 %. After i.v. administration of MLB at the doses of 3, 6, and 12 mg/kg, the C(0) values for MLB were estimated to be of 24, 47, and 107 mg/L, respectively. The AUC increased with the increasing doses for iv administration, and the mean AUC(0-t) values were 109.3, 247.9, and 582.4 mg x min x L(-1), respectively. MLB was distributed and eliminated quickly from central compartment, the mean T(1/2alpha) values for MLB at doses of 3, 6, 12 mg/kg were 2.2, 2.7, and 2.9 min, and the mean T(1/2beta) values were 43, 42, and 42 min, respectively.CONCLUSION:This LC-MS/MS method is rapid, sensitive, and specific for the pharmacokinetic study of MLB. The kinetic process of MLB in beagle dogs in vivo was best fitted to a two-compartment model. For i.v. administration, the pharmacokinetic parameters of C(0) and AUC have good linearity among the doses, and MLB was distributed and eliminated quickly in beagle dogs.

The fatty acid compositions of 22 species of marine macrophytes, belonging to the Ceramiales, Cryptonemiales, Nemalionales, Laminariales, Chordariales, Scytosiphonales, Desmarestiales, Dictyosiphonales, Fucales, Dictyotales and Ulvales and collected from the Bohai Sea, were determined by capillary gas chromatography. The contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) in the Bohai Sea algae, in comparison with the same species from the Yellow Sea were found to be lower. Red algae had relatively high levels of the acids 16:0, 18:1(n-7), 18:1(n-9), 20:5(n-3) and 20:4(n-6), and those examined were rich in C20 PUFAs, these chiefly being arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids. The major FAs encountered in the Phaeophyta were 14:0, 16:0, 18:1(n-9), 18:2(n-6), 18:3(n-3), 18:4(n-3), 20:4(n-6) and 20:5(n-3). C18PUFAs are of greater abundance in the brown algae than in the red algae examined. All three green algae from the Ulvales had similar fatty acid patterns with major components, 16:0, 16:4(n-3), 18:1(n-7), 18:2(n-6), 18:3(n-3), and 18:4(n-3). They contained 16:3(n-3) and more 16:4(n-3), were rich in C18PUFAs, chiefly 18:3(n-3) and 18:4(n-3) and had 18:1(n-7)/18:1(n-9) ratios higher than 1.