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Determination of Tertiary-butylhydroquinone and Its Metabolites in Rat Serum by Liquid Chromatography–Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

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Lipids

Abstract

A new method applying sensitive and selective liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for analyzing tertiary-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) and its metabolites in rat serum was validated. Using an extracted ion chromatogram (EIC) of m/z 149, free TBHQ was observed in rat serum after dosing TBHQ at 350 mg/kg to male and female Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. Four major metabolites of TBHQ were identified—a TBHQ-sulfate, two TBHQ-sulfate-derived substances and a TBHQ-glucuronide through MSn spectra. Besides its simplicity, the sample treatment allows one to obtain a very good recovery of analysts, namely around 95%. This result suggests that the method described here is useful for the analysis of TBHQ and its metabolites in rat serum. Moreover, the metabolism of TBHQ was investigated using the method. After oral administration, TBHQ appear to be more completely absorbed and bio-transformed by males than females, which may result in higher acute oral toxicity of TBHQ for males than females.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support of this research was from the National Key Technologies R&D Program of China with grant no. 2001BA804A21. Sincere thanks are to Dr Pengpenhao at Peking University for providing technical assistance in the experimental studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Nanobiomedical Technology and Membrane Biology, State Key Lab of Biotherapy of Human Diseases, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, No 1, Keyuan 4 Lu, Gaopeng Avenue, Hi-Tech Zone, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Wen Huang

  2. School of Light Industry and Food, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

    Yinchun Gu

  3. Mathematical College, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China

    Hai Niu

Authors
  1. Wen Huang
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  2. Yinchun Gu
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  3. Hai Niu
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Correspondence to Wen Huang.

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Huang, W., Gu, Y. & Niu, H. Determination of Tertiary-butylhydroquinone and Its Metabolites in Rat Serum by Liquid Chromatography–Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry. Lipids 43, 281–288 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-007-3135-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-007-3135-4

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