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Determination and pharmacokinetic study of the diacid metabolite of norcantharidin in beagle plasma by use of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

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Abstract

Because norcantharidin (NCTD) is unstable and subject to ring opening and hydrolysis, the diacid metabolite of norcantharidin (DM-NCTD) is the stable form of NCTD found in normal saline solution. Conversion of NCTD to DM-NCTD is almost 100 %, making it possible to determine and investigate the pharmacokinetics of DM-NCTD converted from NCTD. In this paper, a sensitive, simple and selective liquid chromatographic–tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for determination of DM-NCTD in beagle plasma. DM-NCTD was detected in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by using the dehydrated ion 169.3 as precursor ion and its product ion 123.1 as the detected ion. Ribavirin was used as internal standard and detected in MRM mode by use of precursor ions, resulting in a product ion transition of m/z 267.1 → 135.1. This method was successfully used for a pharmacokinetic study of DM-NCTD in beagles after intravenous administration of DM-NCTD in normal saline solution at doses of 0.39, 0.78, and 1.6 mg kg−1. DM-NCTD had dose-dependent kinetics across the dosage range investigated, with enhanced T 1/2α and AUC0-12 and apparently decreasing V d and CL with increasing dosage. After single-dose administration, T 1/2α ranged from 0.20 to 0.55 h, AUC0-12 from 1.81 to 43.6 μg mL−1 h−1, V d from 228 to 55.9 mL kg−1, and CL from 220 to 36.5 mL kg−1 h−1 (P < 0.01). The results indicated nonlinear pharmacokinetic behavior of DM-NCTD in beagles, suggesting that the risk of DM-NCTD in normal saline solution intoxication may be non-proportionally increased at higher doses.

Determination and pharmacokinetic study of the diacid metabolite of norcantharidin

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (81001647), the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LY12H28005), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (20100471757). The authors would also like to thank Professor Zhengtao Wang (Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China) for his help and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Road, 310053, Hangzhou, China

    Minchen Liu, Wuchao Li, Manman Guo & Fanzhu Li

  2. National Clinical Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 54, Youdian Road, 310006, Hangzhou, China

    Xiaoqiong Ma

  3. Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Shijiazhuang, No. 36, Fanxi Road, 050011, Shijiazhuang, China

    Zhexiu Jin

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  1. Minchen Liu
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Correspondence to Fanzhu Li.

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Liu, M., Ma, X., Jin, Z. et al. Determination and pharmacokinetic study of the diacid metabolite of norcantharidin in beagle plasma by use of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 405, 9273–9283 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-013-7300-8

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