Simultaneous assessment of absorption and pharmacokinetic characteristics of four active flavonoids from Chimonanthus nitens Leaf Granules using LC-MS determination: in vivo and in vitro

Abstract

A sensitive UPLC-HRMS method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of four active flavonoids from Chimonanthus nitens Leaf Granules (CNLG) in biological matrix. The method was utilized in pharmacokinetic study of the four flavonoids in rats as well as other evaluation assays in vitro. It was revealed that rutin, nicotiflorin, and astragalin had poor oral bioavailability in rats possibly due to low intestinal permeability and metabolism in intestinal flora. Kaempferol underwent rapid glucuronidation and sulphation in rat plasma with medium permeability coefficient. The results provided valuable data for future research and development of CNLG flavonoids.

Keywords:

• Chimonanthus nitens Leaf Granules
• flavonoids
• pharmacokinetics
• Caco-2 model
• intestinal flora metabolism

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences [2021-I2M-1-002].