This study is to investigate the compatibility mechanism of Danshen-Chuanxiong drug pair on the pharmacokinetics of four phenolic acids. A UPLC-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of salvianolic acid B( Sal B),rosmarinic acid( RA),lithospermic acid( LA) and ferulic acid( FA) in plasma and heart tissue of rats was established. After single salvianolic acids and Chuanxiong-extract or combined intravenous infusion was given to rats,plasma samples and heart tissues in different time were collected. The chromatographic separation was performed on a BEH C18 column using 0. 15% formic acid-acetonitrile as mobile phase for gradient elution. A triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry equipped with an electrospray ionization source was used as detector operating on multiple-reaction monitoring( MRM) scanning in negative ionization mode. Full validation of UPLC method including calibration curves,accuracy,precision,repeatability and matrix effect was investigated to comply with quantitative analysis requirements for biological samples. There were significant differences in the major pharmacokinetic parameters of Sal B,FA and RA for intravenous infusion of salvianolic acids and Chuanxiong-extract or combined in rat plasma. The AUC of Sal B and FA were increased above 40% and100%,respectively. Their Vd and CL were dropped evidently. t1/2 and Vd of RA increased above 130%. The concentration of four phenolic acids were all increased obviously in heart tissue comparing with single infusion. These results demonstrated that the compatibility mechanism of Danshen-Chuanxiong drug pair showed synergistic effect.
Keywords: UPLC-MS/MS; heart tissue; pharmacokinetics; phenolic acids; plasma.